.SMITHSONIAN  MISCELLANEOUS  COLLECTIONS. 

__  165  

MONOGRAPH 

OF  THE 

' • 

BATS  OF  NORTH  AMERICA 


H.  ALLEN,  M.D 

ASSIST.  SURGEON,  U.  S.  A. 


WASHINGTON: 

SMITHSONIAN  INSTITUTION 

JUNE,  1864. 


$6(o 
. 1 


SMITHSONIAN  MISCELLANEOUS  COLLECTIONS. 

— 165  


MONOGRAPH 

OF  THE 

BATS  OF  NORTH  AMERICA. 


BY 

H.  ALLEN,  M.D. 

ASSIST.  SURGEON,  U.  S.  A. 


WASHINGTON: 

SMITHSONIAN  INSTITUTION: 


JUNE,  1864. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


Tiie  following  memoir,  by  Dr.  Allen,  is  designed  to  exhibit  the 
present  state  of  our  knowledge  respecting  the  species  of  Chei- 
roptera, or  bats,  found  in  America,  north  of  Mexico,  and  their 
general  geographical  distribution.  It  is  based  principally  on  the 
specimens  in  the  Museum  of  the  Smithsonian  Institution,  although 
the  collections  of  the  Philadelphia  Academy  of  Natural  Sciences 
and  of  the  Museum  of  Comparative  Zoology  of  Cambridge  have 
also  been  consulted. 

JOSEPH  HENRY, 

Secretary  S.  I. 

{Smithsonian  Institution, 

Washington,  April  26,  1864. 


( H ) 


PHILADELPHIA  : 
COLLINS,  PRINTER 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


PAG  R 


Advertisement  ...... 

. 

ii 

Introduction 

■v 

Artificial  Key  to  tlie  Genera 

xxiii 

Fam.  MEGADERMATIDJE . 

1 

Macrotus,  Gray  . . . . 

1 

Macrotus  californicus,  Baird 

3 

Fam.  NOCTILIONIDiE  .... 

5 

Nyctinomus,  Geoff. 

5 

Nyctinomus  nasutus,  Tomes 

7 

Fam.  VESPERTILIONIDAE 

11 

Nycticejus,  Raf. 

11 

Nycticejus  crepuscularis,  Allen 

12. 

Lasiurus,  Raf.  .... 

14 

Lasiurus  noveboracensis,  Tomes 

15 

Lasiurus  cinereus,  Allen 

21 

Lasiurus  intermedius,  Allen 

25 

Scotophilus,  Leach  . . , 

27 

Scotophilus  carolinensis,  Allen 

' 28 

Scotophilus  fuscus,  Allen  . 

•. 

31 

Scotophilus  eeorgianus,  Allen 

35 

Scotophilus  noctivagans,  Lee. 

39 

Scotophilus  liesperus,  Allen 

43 

Vespertilio,  Keys.  & Bias. 

46 

Vespertilio  evotis,  Allen 

48 

Vespertilio  subulatus,  Say  . 

51 

Vespertilio  affinis,  Allen 

53 

Vespertilio  lucifugus,  Lee.  . 

55 

Vespertilio  yumanensis,  Allen 

58 

Vespertilio  nitidus,  Allen  . 

60 

Synotus,  Keys.  & Bias. 

C2 

Synotus  macrotis,  Allen 

63 

Synotus  townsendii,  Wagner 

65 

Antrozous,  Allen 

66 

Antrozous  pallidus,  Allen  . 

68 

Appendix  . . . . * . . 

71 

Alphabetical  Index  ..... 

83 

( iii  ) 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2017  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign  Alternates 


https://archive.org/details/checklistofinver71meek 


INTRODUCTION. 


Among  the  numerous  agents  which  Mature  employs  for  re- 
stricting the  excessive  increase  of  the  insect  world,  the  bats  hold  a 
conspicuous  position.  Eminently  adapted  to  an  animal  regimen, 
the  vast  majority  of  these  animals  are  exclusively  insectivorous 
in  their  habits.  Mosquitos,  gnats,  moths,  and  even  the  heavily 
mailed  nocturnal  Coleoptera,  fall  victims  in  large  numbers  to  their 
voracious  appetites.  Certain  members  of  the  order,  such  as 
Flying  Foxes  (Pteropodid^e),  are  strictly  frugivorous,  it  is  true  ; 
and  others,  as  the  Dog-bat  of  Surinam  ( Noctula  leporina), 
classified  as  an  insect-eating  bat,  partakes  occasionally  of  fruit 
in  addition  to  its  more  animal  diet ; none  of  the  species  found 
in  this  country,  however,  are  known  to  subsist  on  any  other  than 
insect  food.  In  this  respect  they  hold  a decided  relationship  to 
certain  birds,  and  it  is  interesting  to  observe  how,  under  differ- 
ent circumstances,  these  widely  separated  animals  serve  us  to  the 
same  end.  The  functions  which  the  latter  perform  during  the 
day,  the  former  assume  in  the  evening.  The  latter  prey  upon 
the  diurnal  insects,  while  the  former  feed  exclusively  upon  the 
crepuscular  and  nocturnal  kinds.  The  disappearance  of  the  birds 
of  day  is  a signal  for  the  advent  of  the  dusky  host,  which,  as  it 
were,  temporarily  relieve  from  duty  their  more  brilliant  rivals  in 
guarding  the  interests  of  Nature. 

But,  while  thus  connected  with  birds  in  their  position  in  the 
world’s  economy,  bats  have  none  of  that  grace  of  form,  or  beauty 
of  coloring  so  characteristic  of  the  others.  Their  bodies  are 
clumsy  and  repulsive ; their  hues  are  dull  and  unattractive — nor 
can  the  eye  dwell  with  pleasure  upon  their  grotesque  and  awk- 

( v ) 


VI 


INTRODUCTION. 


ward  motions.  This  aversion — so  universally  evinced  toward 
these  little  animals — is  heightened  by  the  associations  of  the 
'time  and  place  of  their  daily  appearance.  Attendant,  as  they 
are,  upon  the  quiet  hours  of  twilight,  when  the  thickening 
gloom  is  conducive  to  the  development  of  superstitious  feeling, 
bats  have  always  been  associated  with  ideas  of  the  horrible  and 
the  unknown.  In  olden  times,  when  the  imagination  of  the  people 
exceeded  the  accuracy  of  their  observations,  it  was  one  of  the 
numerous  monsters  inhabiting  their  caverns  and  forests.  It  has 
done  service  in  many  a legend ; its  bite  was  fatal ; it  was  the 
emblem  of  haunted  houses ; its  wings  bore  up  the  dragon  slain 
by  St.  George. 

It  is  easy  to  trace  from  this  early  impression  the  permanent 
position  that  the  bat,  as  an  emblem  of  the  repulsive,  held  in 
letters  and  the  arts.  It  is  mentioned  in  the  Book  of  Leviticus 
as  one  of  the  unclean  things.  Its  image  is  rudely  carved  upon 
the  tombs  of  the  ancient  Egyptians.  The  Greeks  consecrated 
it  to  Proserpine.  It  is  part  of  the  infernal  potion  of  the  witches 
in  Macbeth,  while  Ariel  employs  it  in  his  erratic  flights.  In 
art,  its  wings  have  entered  largely  into  the  creation  of  those 
composite  horrors — evil  spirits,  nor  have  modern  artists  escaped 
from  the  absurdity  of  encumbering  the  Satan  of  Holy  Writ  with 
like  appendages.1  Of  this  association  with  the  monstrous  the  in- 
telligent observer  ceases  to  take  note  when  the  finer  beauties  of 
structure  develop  themselves  under  his  gaze.  Upon  acquaintance 
he  learns,  perhaps  with  surprise,  that,  in  anatomical  and  physio- 
logical peculiarities,  and  zoological  position,  the  bat  is  a subject 
for  study  worthy  of  the  attention  of  the  most  contemplative.  In- 
deed, no  order  of  animals  is  more  interesting,  and  none  has  received 
greater  attention  from  the  hands  of  savans. 

The  early  pioneers  of  natural  history  were  far  astray  in  their 
endeavors  to  correctly  define  the  nature  and  position  of  the  bat. 

“ Some  authors  place  bats  among  the  birds,  because  they  are 
able  to  fly  through  the  air ; while  others  assign  them  a position 

1 To  this  fancy  of  the  ancients  of  placing  the  wings  of  a hat  upon 
demons  is  happily  opposed  the  sweet  conceit  of  poets  in  adorning  the 
figures  of  angels  and  cherubim  with  the  wings  of  birds.  The  wing  of  a 
bat  is  sombre  and  angular — that  of  a bird  is  of  delicate  hues  and  replete 
with  curves.  It  is  therefore  poetic  justice  to  have  the  one  become  an 
emblem  of  the  infernal  as  the  other  is  an  expression  of  the  heavenly  form. 


INTRODUCTION. 


vii 


among  the  quadrupeds,  because  they  can  walk  on  the  earth. 
Some  again,  who  admitted  the  mammalian  nature  of  the  crea- 
tures, scattered  them  at  intervals  through  the  scale  of  animated 
beings,  heedless  of  any  distinction  excepting  the  single  charac- 
teristic in  which  they  took  their  stand,  and  by  which  they  judged 
every  animal.  These  are  but  a few  of  the  diverse  opinions  which 
prevailed  among  the  naturalists  of  former  times,  among  which 
the  most  ingeniously  quaint  is  that  which  places  the  bat  and 
ostrich  in  the  same  order,  because  the  bat  has  wings  and  the 
ostrich  has  not.”1 

Without  reviewing  the  recorded  errors  of  these  observers,  we 
will  be  content  to  call  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  the  following 
brief  account  of  the  structure  of  flying  animals,  so  that  the  true 
position  of  the  bat  among  them  may  be  definitely  fixed. 

There  are  two  distinct  types  of  modification  which  the  verte- 
brate skeleton  has  undergone  in  adapting  the  animal  for  flight, 
both  of  which  depend  upon  some  peculiarity  in  the  structure  of 
the  anterior  extremities  ; and  in  order  to  obtain  a correct  opinion 
of  them  we  propose  to  cast  a glance  at  each  in  turn. 

Plan  of  bony  structure  of  the  wings  of  flying  vertebrate  animals. 


a.  Bones  of  carpus'  separat- 
ed; flight  maintained  by 
dermal  expanse 


r 


I.  Wing  membrane  supported  by  all 
fingers — 


Bats  (Vespertilio),  order  of  Mam. 


- 


I 


II.  Wing  membrane  supported  by  the  4th 
finger  only  (which  is  immensely  de- 
veloped), the  others  remaining  free — 


Pterodactyl  es,  order  of  Rept. 


^ III.  Bones  of  metacarpus  2-3  in  number — 


b.  Bones  of  carpus  united ; 
flight  maintained  by  der- 
mal appendages 


Feathers  not  radiating — 


Living  birds  (Aves) — class. 


IY.  Bones  of  metacarpus  4 in  number — 
Feathers  radiating — 


l 


Archaeopteryx  (Aves) — subclass. 


Wood,  Nat.  Hist.  I (Mam,),  114. 


Vlil 


INTRODUCTION. 


f I.  The  Bat,  in  which  the  humerus  is  long  and  slender,  with  a small 
pectoral  ridge.  Ulna  rudimentary,  attached  to  the  curved  radius, 
which  constitutes  the  bulk  of  the  forearm  ; carpus  composed  of 
6 bones  ; the  metacarpal  bones  5 in  number,  separate  and  dis- 
tinct ; the  phalanges  generally  2 in  number  ; thumb,  and  in  some 
the  index  finger  surmounted  by  a claw. 


II.  The  Ptekodactyle,  in  which  the  humerus  is  short  and  straight, 
very  broad  at  head,  with  angular  and  prominent  pectoral  ridge  ; 
ulna  and  radius  distinct,  of  nearly  equal  size ; carpus  composed 
of  5 bones ; metacarpus  of  4 bones,  separate  and  distinct ; 1st 
finger  with  3 joints,  2d  with  4,  3d  with  5,  4th  with  4 joints, 
all  provided  with  claws,  with  the  exception  of  the  4th,  which  is 
remarkable  for  the  extraordinary  development  of  its  several 
joints.  It  is  from  this  last  mentioned  finger  to  the  base  of  the 
foot  that  the  skin  was  stretched  by  which  the  animal  was  en- 
abled to  fly. 


f III.  The  Bird,  in  which  the  humerus  is  curved,  more  or  less  slender ; 
pectoral  ridge  prominent,  not  angular ; ulna  large,  curved,  not 
united  with  the  slender  and  more  diminutive  radius ; carpus  of 
2 bones  ; metacarpus  of  2,  sometimes  of  3 bones — the  first  being 
small  and  cylindrical,  the  other  two  of  larger  dimensions  and 
united  so  as  to  form  a bone  resembling  the  bones  of  the  forearm  ; 
ulnar  phalanx  of  1 joint,  united  to  the  radial  which  is  composed 
of  2. 

The  power  of  sustaining  flight  not  dependent  upon  the  ex- 
pansion of  skin,  but  upon  the  excessive  development  of  dermal 
appendages  (feathers). 

IV.  The  Archaeopteryx1  agrees  with  the  typical  bird  in  general  particu- 
lars, but  differs  in  the  number  of  the  metacarpal  bones,  which  are 
here  4 in  number : the  1st  and  2d  are  slender,  free  and  separate 
from  one  another  ; the  3d  and  4th  bear  considerable  resemblance 
to  those  of  extant  birds,  in  being  large,  stout,  and  closely  approxi- 
mated ; but  are  not,  however,  united. 

Flight  is  supposed  to  have  been  maintained  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  in  living  birds. 


1 Archceopteryx  lithographica,  H.  von  Meyer,  a fossil  of  the  Lower  Jurassic 
formation  of  Germany,  obtained  from  the  lithographic  stone  at  Solenhofen. 
It  was  first  made  known  to  science  by  Prof.  Wagner,  at  a meeting  of  the 
Mathematico-Physical  Class  of  the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences  of  Munich, 
in  1861,  and  was  more  minutely  described,  by  H.  Hermann  von  Meyer,  in 
Jahrbuch  far  Mineralogie,  1861,  561. 

This  remarkable  fossil,  which  is  at  present  exciting  such  profound 
attention  among  anatomists,  combines  the  characters  of  the  bird  and  the 
reptile  so  intimately  that  it  was  for  a time  a matter  of  doubt  to  which 


INTRODUCTION. 


IN 


DIAGRAM  OF  THE  BONES  OF  ANTERIOR  EXTREMITIES  OF  FLYING 
VERTEBRATES. 


I.  Bat. — a.  Scapula,  b.  Humerus,  c.  Radius,  d.  Rudiment  of 
ulna  anchylosed  to  radius,  e.  Carpus,  f.  Metacarpus,  g.  Pha- 
langes. 

II.  Pterodactyle. — References  the  same  as  in  Fig.  I. 

III.  Bird. — References  as  in  Fig.  I.  The  dotted  outline  of  the  second 

ungual  phalanx  indicates  the  occasional  occurrence  of  a claw  at 
this  point.  The  majority  of  birds  are  without  it. 

IV.  Archaeopteryx. — References  as  in  Fig.  I.  The  dotted  outlines  seen 

at  carpus  and  the  terminal  phalanges  are  restored  portions. 


X 


INTRODUCTION. 


In  addition  to  the  instances  already  given,  certain  fishes,  as 
the  Exocoetus  and  Dactylopterus,  possess  the  power  of  sustaining 
true  flight.  The  mechanism  that  lifts  the  body  of  the  fish  from 
the  water,  and  upholds  it  for  a short  time  in  the  air,  is  obtained 
in  the  pectoral  fius,  which,  in  these  animals,  are  enormously  de- 
veloped. The  structure  of  these  fins  is  homologous  to  that  of 
the  anterior  extremities  of  other  vertebrates — their  form  alone 
being  modified  to  adapt  the  animal  to  the  medium  in  which  it  is 
placed.  Thus  we  have,  in  each  great  subdivision  of  vertebrate 
animals,  a representative  capable  of  sustaining  flight. 

Another  somewhat  similar  modification  of  the  animal  economy 
is  met  with  in  a few  animals  of  arboreal  habits.  Here  a peculiar 
arrangement  of  the  skin  is  observed,  which  enables  the  possessor 
to  break  the  force  of  downward  leaps.  In  the  Flying  Lemur 
( Galeopithecus ),  in  the  Flying  Squirrel  ( Pteromys ),  and  in  the 
Flying  Opossum  ( Petaurista ),  the  furred  skin  extends  laterally 
from  the  sides  of  the  body,  and  is  attached  to  anterior  and  posterior 
extremities  at  the  metacarpal  and  metatarsal  regions  respectively. 
The  only  instance  of  osteological  development  is  obtained  in  the 
Dragon  ( Draco  volans),  a small  lizard  from  Sumatra,  in  which  long, 
transverse  processes  from  either  side  of  the  lumbar  vertebrae  sup- 
port a thin  membranous  growth  which  is  capable  of  being  opened 
and  shut  by  means  of  muscles  attached  to  the  bony  frame-work. 

Anatomy. — From  the  consideration  of  the  mechanism  of  the 
wings  of  bats,  it  is  an  easy  transition  to  speak  of  their  anatomy. 

The  bones  of  Cheiroptera , though  incapable  of  receiving  air 
from  the  surrounding  medium,  are  nevertheless  of  very  light 

class  it  could  be  assigned.  Its  peculiarities  consist  of  a continuation  of 
the  bones  of  the  vertebral  column  posteriorly  to  the  number  of  twenty 
segments,  thus  creating  a tail  seven  inches  in  length  ; of  the  metacarpal 
bones,  being  composed  of  four  bones  instead  of  two  or  three  as  in  living 
birds ; and  of  the  reptilian  character  of  the  pelvis. 

For  descriptions  concerning  this  curious  animal  the  reader  is  referred  to 
the  original  paper  by  M.  von  Meyer,  loc.  cit. ; an  article  in  The  Intellectual 
Observer , for  Dec.  1862  (with  plate),  by  Wm.  H.  Woodward  ; an  article  in 
Amer.  Journ.  Sci.  and  Arts,  2d  series,  XXXY,  May,  1863, 129  (Prof.  Dana); 
an  article  in  Phil.  Trans.  CLIII,  part  I,  1863,  33,  pi.  1 to  4 (Prof.  Owen). 
The  last  mentioned  paper  is  the  most  complete  on  the  subject,  and  is 
accompanied  with  a handsome  full  size  plate  of  the  fossil. 

It  is  from  this  memoir  that  the  outline  engraving  on  the  opposite  page 
has  in  part  been  taken. 


INTRODUCTION. 


XI 


structure.  The  skeleton  of  a bat  is  expressive  of  lightness  and 
tenuity.  The  bones  of  the  common  Brown  Bat  (V.  subulatus), 
from  which  this  description  is  taken,  weighed  but  eleven  grains. 

The  skull  is  of  proportionate  large  size,  rounded  at  cranium, 
The  parietal  crest,  generally  faintly  produced,  is  frequently 
entirely  absent ; at  the  superior  angle  of  occipital  bone  a faintly 
defined  triangular  patch  is  seen  in  those  skulls  where  the  temporal 
fossae  on  either  side  have  not  extended  quite  the  length  of  the 
side  of  cranium.  Orbit  incomplete  ; temporal  fossae  very  large  ; 
zygomata  perfect,  generally  slightly  curvilinear,  somewhat  de- 
pressed in  centre.  Anterior  nares  large,  sub-circular,  extending 
back  on  the  palate  to  a level  with  the  canine  teeth.  Intermaxillary 
bones  rudimentary  and  not  meeting  in  front.  The  bo.nes  of  the 
cranium  are  without  diploe,  and  the  interior  of  the  skull  without 
tentorium.  Auditory  bullae  (viz.,  the  circular  appendages  to  the 
external  meatus)  very  large.  Occipital  condyles  broad ; fora- 
men magnum  large,  sub-oval,  somewhat  depressed.  The  maxillary 
bones  are  stout,  and  support  all  the  teeth,  excepting  the  incisors, 
which  are  held  in  position  by  the  inter-maxillary  bones. 

The  lower  jaw  is  stout,  receding  at  symphysis,  where  it  is  very 
high,  and  extends  backwards  to  a level  with  the  2d  premolar 
tooth ; coronoid  process  high,  blunt,  strongly  marked  externally 
to  its  base  with  the  concave  surface  for  the  insertion  of  temporal 
muscle.  The  anterior  border  is  vertical,  the  superior  and  pos- 
terior are  slightly  oblique,  ending  in  the  condyloid  process ; the 
articulating  head  of  which  is  arranged  transversely  to  the  axis 
of  the  bone.  The  ramus  of  the  jaw  is  turned  slightly  outward, 
and  is  thin  and  compressed.  A large  hamular  process  is  con- 
spicuous immediately  inferior  to  the  articulating  surface. 

The  teeth  are  of  variable  number — being  in  some  species  as 
low  as  30,  in  others  as  high  as  38.  This  variation,  combined  with 
differences  in  their  contour,  furnish  characters  of  great  importance 
in  the  classification  of  these  animals.  The  principal  differences  are 
seen  in  the  number  of  the  incisors  and  molars,  The  usual  number 
of  incisors  is  4 in  the  upper,  and  6 in  the  lower  jaw.  The 
number  is  never  in  excess  of  this,  though  frequently  falling 
short  of  it.  Thus,  in  some  genera  there  are  but  2 incisors  above 
and  4 below ; or  there  may  be  none  above  and  but  2 below. 
When  the  number  in  the  upper  jaw  is  confined  to  2 teeth  the 
central  incisors  are  wanting.  The  number  in  the  lower  jaw  is 


Xil 


INTRODUCTION. 


always  6 in  the  family  Vesper  tilionidae,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Californian  genus  Antrozous,  which  has  here  but  4 incisors.  In 
this  particular  it  shows  evidence  of  its  affinity  with  the  family 
Phyllostomidse,  in  which  4 incisors  in  the  lower  jaw  is  the  normal 
number. 

The  molars  are  of  two  kinds  : the  true  molars,  and  the  false  or 
premolars.  The  former  are  the  larger  and  situated  most  pos- 
teriorly, the  latter  are  small,  placed  between  the  true  molars  and 
the  canines,  and  appear  to  unite  the  characters  of  both  these 
teeth.  The  premolar  adjoining  the  first  molar  bears  a stronger 
resemblance  to  the  grinders  than  to  the  premolar  adjacent  to  the 
canine,  which  shows  decided  resemblance  to  the  eye  tooth.  The 
number  of  molars  (true  and  false)  in  any  bat  never  exceeds  6 
above  and  6 below.  In  any  diminution  of  this  number  the  first 
premolar  is  always  wanting. 

The  minute  description  of  the  teeth  is  reserved  for  the  remarks 
under  each  species.  It  will  be  well  in  this  place,  however,  to  de- 
fine the  true  molars,  and  since  they  are  not  subject  to  any  material 
variation  in  shape  no  mention  of  them  will  be  made  in  the  text. 

The  true  molars  are  3 in  number,  both  above  and  below.  In 
the  upper  jaw  they  are  of  a sub-triangular  shape,  wider  than 
long,  their  bases  being  outward,  and  their  apices  rounded  and 
blunt.  The  first  and  second  teeth  have  two  Y-shaped  cusps 
upon  the  articulating  surface  of  the  crown — the  anterior  border 
of  each  cusp  being  more  prominent  than  the  posterior.  The 
union  of  these  two  cusps  constitutes  what  is  known  as  the 
W-shaped  crown.  This  irregularity  is  occasioned  by  the  sinuate 
incurving  of  the  enamel  of  the  tooth ; it  eminently  adapts  the 
organ  for  the  mastication  of  insect  food.  The  inner  portion  of 
the  articulating  face  is  lower  than  the  outer,  is  of  a rounded 
shape,  and  is  furnished  with  but  one  cusp,  which,  however,  placed 
immediately  behind  the  anterior  triangular  cusp,  runs  obscurely 
backwards  to  behind  the  posterior  cusp,  giving  these  teeth  the 
appearance  of  being  quadri-cuspid.  The  third  molar,  much 
smaller  than  the  preceding,  has  a straight  anterior  and  a rounded 
posterior  surface  ; the  external  face  of  crown  is  irregular  and 
sinuate,  posterior  unicuspid. 

In  the  lower  jaw  the  molars  are  of  equal  size.  They  are  longer 
fhan  wide.  Each  tooth  is  made  up  of  two  Y-shaped  cusps,  their 


INTRODUCTION. 


Xll 


bases  lying  inwards,  their  apices  very  acute.  The  anterior  cusp 
is  wider  and  somewhat  higher  than  the  posterior. 

The  vertebral  column  is  remarkable  for  the  absence  of  any 
prominent  processes.  The  cervical  vertebrae  are  little  more  than 
slender  rings  of  bones  surrounding  a spinal  marrow  of  unusual 
width.  The  dorsal  are  also  very  uniform  in  appearance,  each 
bone  having  its  sides  furnished  with  a slightly  elevated  tubercle. 
The  ribs  attached  to  them  are  relatively  broad,  very  long,  and 
much  curved,  thus  giving  the  thorax  a somewhat  compressed 
appearance.  The  first  rib  is  remarkable  for  its  extreme  breadth, 
especially  at  the  point  where  it  articulates  with  the  sternum, 
being  here  twice  the  width  of  the  clavicle.  The  sternum  is 
of  great  strength.  The  manubrium  is  markedly  crested,  broad 
and  flat  at  base  whence  two  blunt,  obtuse  alae  spring  from  either 
side  to  articulate  with  the  clavicle  and  first  rib.  The  gladiolus 
and  xyphus  are  large  and  robust ; the  latter  has  upon  its  inferior 
extremity  an  expanded  cartilaginous  piece,  which  is  continuous 
with  the  linea  alba.  The  object  of  this  excessive  development 
of  the  sternum  is  evident : the  immense  power  employed  in 
the  maintenance  of  flight  necessitating  the  presence  of  strong 
osseous  points  for  attachment  of  the  muscles.  The  clavicle  is 
long,  much  arched,  and  slightly  flattened  from  before  backwards. 
The  scapula  is  of  a sub-rhomboid  shape.  At  the  upper  third 
of  its  dorsal  surface  the  dorsal  spine  runs  obliquely  forwards 
and  terminates  in  the  large  acromion.  The  coracoid  process  is 
also  conspicuous,  and  projects  at  right  angles  from  the  scapula 
parallel  with  a similar  process  from  the  internal  superior  angle 
of  the  shoulder  blade.  The  humerus  is  long,  cylindrical;  head 
small,  scarcely  longer  than  shaft ; two  processes  before  and  behind 
the  articulation  are  observed  for  the  insertion  of  the  scapular 
muscles.  The  inferior  extremity  has  but  one  articular  facet. 
The  forearm  consists  of  the  radius  alone,  the  ulna  being  entirely 
absent  or  confined  to  a mere  rudiment  attached  ‘to  the  upper 
posterior  part  of  the  radius.  The  radius  is  slightly  arched, 
much  larger  than  humerus,  and  like  it  without  any  process.  The 
carpus  is  composed  of  6 bones,  of  which  the  largest  supports 
the  radius.  The  bones  of  the  metacarpus  are  greatly  developed 
in  length,  constituting  the  bony  frame-work  upon  which  the  wing 
membranes  are  stretched.  The  thumb  has  two  joints,  the  terminal 
one  of  which  is  surrounded  by  a claw,  the  others  having  generally 


X-V 


INTRODUCTION. 


three  joints  each — long  and  cylindrical.  The  pelvis  is  slender  and 
narrow.  The  ilii  are  elongated,  not  widened,  and  markedly  con- 
vex on  outer  surfaces ; ischia  relatively  large,  and  converging  ; 
pubis  rather  slender.  The  ossa  innominata  are  readily  disunited 
at  symphysis,  their  union  to  the  sacrum  being  firmer.  Obturator 
foramen  large  and  elliptical.  Both  femur  and  tibia  are  long  cylin- 
drical bones,  presenting  no  features  of  interest.  The  fibula  is 
slender,  acuminate  and  imperfect ; it  arises  from  the  base  of  the 
tibia,  and  terminates  midway  up  that  bone.  By  the  partial  ever- 
sion of  the  lower  extremity  it  appears  to  lie  to  the  inner  side  of 
the  tibia.  The  toes  are  five  in  number  and  armed  with  sharply 
curved  claws  ; the  calcaneum  is  enormously  developed  as  a spicula 
of  bone,  running  obliquely  downwards  and  inwards  towards  the 
tail,  and  inclosed  within  the  border  of  the  interfemoral  membrane. 
The  termination  of  this  bone  is  abrupt  in  some  species,  in  others 
its  extremity  blends  with  the  free  edge  of  the  membrane.  The  tail 
is  composed  of  nine  joints  in  the  majority  of  bats,  which  diminish 
in  width  from  above  downwards ; the  tip  of  the  tail  may  or  may 
not  be  included  in  the  interfemoral  membrane. 

Mr.  Thomas  Bell,  in  reviewing  the  osteology  of  the  bat,  uses 
the  following  language  : — 

“ The  whole  of  this  structure  is  so  perfectly  adapted  to  the 
peculiar  habits  of  the  animals  as  to  require  no  comment.  The 
great  development  of  the  ribs,  sternum,  and  scapula  for  the  attach- 
ment of  strong  muscles  of  flight ; the  length  and  strength  of  the 
clavicle  ; the  extension  of  all  the  bones  of  the  anterior  extremity, 
all  admirably  tend  to  fulfil  their  obvious  end.” — Cyclopedia  of 
Anal,  and  Phys.,  art.  Cheiroptera. 

The  digestive  apparatus  is  very  simple,  as  might  be  supposed 
from  the  nature  of  the  food  upon  which  these  animals  subsist. 
The  stomach  is  simple,  with  small  fundus.  The  intestine  is  short, 
measuring  but  one  and  a half  times  the  length  of  the  body,  and  in 
. many  species  without  a caecum. 

The  nervous  system  is  highly  developed,  especially  the  special 
senses  of  hearing  and  of  touch.  The  ears,  both  internally  and 
externally,  are  highly  perfected.  The  cochlea  are  disproportion- 
ately large  as  compared  with  the  size  of  the  semicircular  canals. 
The  ampullae,  as  already  seen,  are  very  large.  To  this  osseous 
structure,  for  the  reception  of  sound,  is  added  the  complicated 
auricle  with  which  all  insectivorous  bats  are  provided.  These 


INTRODUCTION. 


XV 


are  frequently  much  larger  than  the  head,  and  of  great  variety 
of  shapes : their  variations  of  form  being  of  great  importance  in 
classification. 


The  internal  border  is  generally  much  curved,  and  terminates 
in  an  obtuse  or  acute  projection,  called  the  internal  basal  lobe  ( c ) ; 
the  external  border  of  the  ear  is  of  an  irregular  convex  contour, 
and  ends  anteriorly  in  a blunt  and  thickened  fold  of  membrane — 
the  external  basal  lobe  ( d ).*  The  tragus,  or  oreillon  (e),  is  an 
upright  growth  of  membrane  extending  from  the  base  of  the 
auricle  up  the  centre  of  the  external  ear.  The  function  of  this 
appendage  is  not  known ; it  probably  acts  as  a valve  to  prevent 
foreign  substances  entering  the  ear,  or  to  prevent  the  volume  of 
sound  received  from  such  a large  auricle  in  impinging  too  forcibly 
upon  the  delicate  tympanum. 

The  nose  is  also  frequently  the  seat  of  extensive  dermal  growths. 
These  appendages,  situated  about  the  nostrils,  may  be  simple  up- 
right, triangular  folds  of  skin,  or  they  may  be  exceedingly  compli- 
cated in  structure.  No  North  American  bat,  with  but  one  ex- 
ception (M.  calif ornicus) , has  such  a development.  Though  the 
external  ear  is  evidently  intended  to  augment  the  sense  of  hear- 
ing, there  is  some  doubt  whether  the  nose  leaves  hold  the  same 
relation  to  the  olfactory  sense.  These  growths  are  composed  of 
reduplications  of  skin,  and  are  not  related  to  the  lining  mem- 
brane of  the  nose.  They  are  probably  the  agents  for  augmenting 
the  sense  of  touch  alone,  and  in  this  ivay  act  conjointly  with  the 
wing  membranes. 

It  is  in  this  latter  structure  that  the  sense  of  touch  chiefly  re- 
sides. The  bones  of  the  extremities  being  covered  on  either  side 
with  an  enduplication  of  skin,  form  a frame-work  upon  both  sides 

1 In  the  above  cut  the  external  basal  lobe  has  been  turned  backwards 
to  disclose  the  base  of  tragus. 


xvi 


INTRODUCTION. 


of  which  the  papillae  of  touch  are  extensively  distributed.  This 
function,  in  many  places,  is  probably  aided  by  the  delicate  hairs 
which  are  sparsely  distributed  linearly  upon  the  under  surfaces  of 
the  membranes.  These  may  perform  a function  analogous  to 
that  observed  in  the  labial  whiskers  which  are  so  prominent  in  the 
Felidse.  Spallanzani  was  the  first  to  notice  the  high  development 
to  which  this  sense  had  been  brought  in  these  animals.  His  ex- 
periment is  well  known,  but  will  bear  repetition  here : — 

“In  1193  Spallanzani  put  out  the  eyes  of  a bat,  and  observed 
that  it  appeared  to  fly  with  as  much  ease  as  before,  and  without 
striking  against  objects  in  its  way,  following  the  course  of  a ceil- 
ing, and  avoiding,  with  accuracy,  everything  against  which  it 
was  expected  to  strike.  Not  only  were  blinded  bats  capable  of 
avoiding  such  objects  as  parts  of  a building,  but  they  shunned, 
with  equal  address,  the  most  delicate  obstacles,  even  silken 
threads,  stretched  in  such  a manner  as  to  leave  just  space  enough 
for  them  to  pass  with  their  wings  expanded.  When  these  threads 
were  placed  closer  together,  the  bats  contracted  their  wings,  In 
order  to  pass  between  them  without  touching.  They  also  passed 
with  the  same  security  between  branches  of  trees  placed  to  inter- 
cept them,  and  suspended  themselves  by  the  wall,  &c.  with  as 
much  ease  as  if  they  could  see  distinctly.” — Godmards  Amer . 
Nat.  Hist.  I,  1831,  51. 

Habits. — The  habits  of  these  animals  are  but  little  known.  We 
possess  a general  knowledge  that  they  are  of  nocturnal  and  cre- 
puscular habits ; that  they  feed  upon  night  insects ; that  they 
frequent  in  their  hours  of  repose  secluded  retreats  in  common 
with  other  nocturnal  animals.  To  this  circumstance,  as  much 
as  any  other,  our  ignorance  of  their  habits  is  chiefly  due.  The 
darkness  and  unpleasant  surroundings  of  their  haunts  are  suffi- 
cient obstacles  to  cool  the  ardor  of  the  most  enthusiastic  naturalist. 
Opportunities  are  offered  occasionally,  however,  to  observe  their 
flight,  and  their  habits  in  repose,  by  their  accidental  entrance  into 
the  open  apartments  of  our  dwellings  in  warm  weather.1 

1 In  this  connection  I take  the  liberty  of  quoting  from  Mr.  Audubon’s 
“Eccentric  Naturalist,”  a sketch  which  appeared  in  the  “ Ornithological 
Biography”  of  that  author.  The  hero  of  this  sketch  is  well  known  to 
have  been  M.  Rafinesque.  The  incident  narrated  was  one  of  a series  of 
adventures  equally  ludicrous  which  Mr.  Audubon  graphically  narrates : — 

“ When  it  was  waxed  late  I showed  him  to  the  apartment  intended  for 


INTRODUCTION. 


XVU 


Under  these  circumstances  they  can  be  readily  caught,  and 
although  bearing  captivity  poorly,  can  yet  with  care  be  sustained 
for  some  time.  In  this  condition  they  will  take  small  pieces 
of  raw  meat  with  avidity,  though — strange  as  it  may  appear — 
refuse  to  partake  of  insects.  They  appear  to  drink  largely 
of  water.  A small  Brown  Bat,  which  I once  caught  and  caged, 
would  lap  up  water  eagerly  when  all  food  was  refused. 

The  first  act  of  the  bat,  after  emerging  in  the  evening  frpm 
its  retreat,  is  to  fly  to  the  water.  The  following  account  illus- 
trating this  peculiarity,  as  well  as  showing  the  enormous  numbers 
in  which  these  animals  will  live  together,  is  of  great  interest.  It 
is  from  the  pen  of  M.  Figaniere,  Minister  to  this  country  from 
Portugal,  in  a letter  addressed  to  Prof.  Henry,  Secretary  of 
Smithsonian  Institution  : — 

“ In  the  winter  of  1859,  having  purchased  the  property  known 
as  Seneca  Point,  on  the  margin  of  the  Northeast  Biver,  near 
Charlestown,  in  Cecil  County,  Maryland,  we  took  possession  of 
it  in  May  of  the  next  year.  The  dwelling  is  a brick  structure 
covered  with  slate  in  the  form  of  an  L,  two-storied,  with  garret, 
cellars,  and  a stone  laundry  and  milk  house  attached.  Having 
been  uninhabited  for  several  years  it  exhibited  the  appearance, 
with  the  exception  of  one  or  two  rooms,  of  desolation  and  neglect, 
with  damp,  black  walls,  all  quite  unexpected,  as  it  had  been  but 
very  slightly  examined,  and  was  represented  in  good  habitable 
condition,  merely  requiring  some  few  repairs  and  a little  painting. 

“ The  boxes,  bundles  and  other  packages  of  furniture  which  had 
preceded  us,  lay  scattered  around  and  within  the  dwelling : 
these,  with  the  exception  of  some  mattresses  and  bedding  for 

him  during  his  stay,  and  endeavored  to  render  him  comfortable,  leaving 
him  writing  material  in  abundance.  I was  indeed  heartily  glad  to  have  a 
naturalist  under  my  roof.  We  had  all  retired  to  rest.  Every  person  I 
imagined  was  in  deep  slumber,  save  myself,  when  of  a sudden  I heard  a 
great  uproar  in  the  naturalist’s  room.  I got  up,  reached  the  place  in  a 
few  moments,  and  opened  the  door,  when,  to  my  astonishment,  I saw  my 
guest  running  about  the  room  naked,  holding  the  handle  of  my  favorite 
violin,  the  body  of  which  he  had  battered  to  pieces  against  the  walls  in 
attempting  to  kill  the  bats,  which  had  entered  by  the  open  window, 
• probably  attracted  by  the  insects  flying  around  his  candle.  I stood 
amazed,  but  he  continued  running  round  and  round,  until  he  was  fairly 
exhausted  ; when  he  begged  me  to  procure  one  of  the  animals  for  him,  as 
he  felt  convinced  they  belonged  to  a ‘new  species.’  ” 

B 


INTRODUCTION. 


xviii 

immediate  use,  were  hastily  arranged  for  unpacking  and  placing 
in  order  at  leisure.  The  weather,  which  was  beautiful,  balmy 
and  warm,  invited  us  towards  evening  to  out-door  enjoyment  and 
rest  after  a fatiguing  day  of  travel  and  active  labor ; but  chairs, 
settees  and  benches  were  scarcely  occupied  by  us  on  the  piazza 
and  lawn,  when  to  our  amazement,  and  the  horror  of  the  female 
portion  of  our  party,  small  black  bats  made  their  appearance  in 
immense  numbers,  flickering  around  the  premises,  rushing  in  and 
out  of  doors  and  through  open  windows — almost  obscuring  the 
early  twilight,  and  causing  a general  stampede  of  the  ladies,  who 
fled  covering  their  heads  with  their  hands,  fearing  that  the  dreaded 
little  vampires  might  make  a lodgment  in  their  hair. 

“ This  remarkable  exhibition  much  increased  our  disappoint- 
ment in  regard  to  the  habitable  condition  of  our  acquisition,  and 
was  entirely  unexpected,  inasmuch  as  the  unwelcome  neighbors 
were  in  their  dormant  state  and  ensconced  out  of  sight,  when 
the  property  was  examined  previous  to  purchase.  With  their 
appearance  and  in  such  immense  numbers  the  prospect  of  im- 
mediate indoors  arrangement  and  comfort  vanished ; the  para- 
mount, the  urgent  necessity  was  to  get  rid  of  such. a nuisance  as 
quickly  as  possible,  and  the  question  was  by  what  means  could 
this  be  accomplished.  Our  scientific  friends  and  acquaintances, 
both  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia,  were  consulted,  various 
volumes  of  natural  history  were  examined  in  order  to  ascertain 
the  peculiar  habits  of  the  vermin,  but  we  derived  no  effectual  con- 
solation from  these  sources.  One  of  our  friends,  indeed,  sent  us 
from  New  York  an  infallible  exterminator  in  the  form  of  a receipt 
obtained  at  no  inconsiderable  cost : strips  of  fat  pork  saturated 
with  a subtle  poison  were  to  be  hung  up  in  places  where  the 
annoying  ‘ creatures’  did  most  congregate  ; of  this  they  would 
surely  eat,  and  thus  ‘shuffle  off  their  mortal  coil.’  How  many 
revolving  bat  seasons  it  might  have  required  by  this  process  to 
kill  off  the  multitude,  the  urgency  of  the  case  would  not  allow  us 
to  calculate,  and  the  experiment  was  therefore  abandoned. 

“Evening  after  evening  did  we  patiently,  though  not  com- 
placently, watch  this  periodical  exodus  of  dusky  wings  into  light 
from  their  lurking  places  one  after  another,  and  in  some  instances 
in  couples  and  even  triples,  according  as  the  size  of  the  holes  or 
apertures,  from  wdiieh  they  emerged,  in  the  slate  roofing  would 
permit.  Their  excursions  invariably  commenced  with  the  cry  of 


INTRODUCTION. 


x:x 


the  ‘ whippoorwill ,’  both  at  coming  evening  and  at  early  dawn  ; 
and  it  was  observed  that  they  always  first  directed  their  flight 
towards  the  river,  undoubtedly  to  damp  their  mouse-like  snouts, 
but  not  their  spirits,  for  it  was  likewise  observed  that  they  re- 
turned to  play  hide  and  seek,  and  indulge  in  all  other  imaginable 
gambols : when,  after  gratifying  their  love  of  sport  and  satisfying 
their  voracious  appetites  (as  the  absence  of  mosquitos  and  gnats 
testified),  they  would  re-enter  their  habitation,  again  to  emerge  at 
the  first  signal  of  their  feathered  trumpeter.  I thus  ascertained 
one  very  important  fact,  namely,  that  the  bat,  or  the  species  which 
annoyed  us,  ate  and  drank  twice  in  twenty-four  hours.  Such 
appeared  their  habit,  such  therefore  was  their  indispensable  need. 
Upon  ascertaining  this  fact,  after  having  tried  suffocation  by  the 
fumes  of  brimstone  with  only  partial  success,  I concluded  to  adopt 
a more  efficient  plan  of  warfare  ; and  for  this  purpose  commenced 
by  causing  all  the  holes,  fissures  in  the  wood-work,  and  apertures 
in  the  slating  to  be  hermetically  sealed  with  cement : this  put  a 
stop  to  their  egress  ; but  to  avoid  their  dying  by  starvation  and 
deprivation  of  water,  which  would  manifold  increase  the  annoy- 
ance by  adding,  their  dead  to  their  living  stench,  I ordered  aper- 
tures of  about  two  feet  square  to  be  opened  in  the  lathe  and 
plastered  partition  on  each  side  of  the  garret  windows,  and  also 
in  the  ceiling  of  every  garret  room  ; lastly,  when  the  bats’  reveille 
was  sounded  by  the  bugle  of  the  whippoorwill , all  the  hands  of 
our  establishment,  men  and  boys,  each  armed  with  a wooden 
implement  (shaped  like  a cricket  bat),  marched  to  the  third  floor, 

‘ on  murderous  deeds  with  thoughts  intent:’  a lighted  lantern  was 
placed  in  the  middle  of  one  of  the  rooms,  divested  of  all  furniture, 
to  allure  the  hidden  foe  from  their  strongholds.  After  closing  the 
window  to  prevent  all  escape  into  the  open  air,  the  assailants 
distributed  at  regular  distances  to  avoid  clubbing  each  other, 
awaited  the  appearance  of  the  bats  enticed  into  the  room  by 
the  artificial  light  and  impelled  by  their  own  natural  craving. 
The  slaughter  commenced,  and  progressed  with  sanguinary  vigor 
for  several  hours,  or  until  brought  to  a close  by  the  weariness  of 
dealing  the  blows  that  made  the  enemy  bite  the  dust,  and  over- 
powered by  the  heat  and  closeness  of  the  apartment.  This  plan 
succeeded  perfectly.  After  a few  evenings  of  similar  exercise,  in 
which  the  batteurs  became  quite  expert  in  the  use  of  their  weapon, 
every  wielding  of  the  wooden  bat  bringing  down  an  expiring  name- 


XX 


INTRODUCTION. 


sake,  the  war  terminated  by  the  extermination  of  every  individual 
of  the  enemy  in  the  main  building.  However,  there  still  was  the 
cock-loft  of  the  laundry,  which  gave  evidence  of  a large  popula- 
tion. In  this  case  I had  recourse  to  a plan  'which  had  been  re- 
commended, but  was  not  carried  out  in  regard  to  the  dwelling- 
house.  I employed  a slater  to  remove  a portion  of  the  slating 
which  required  repairing.  This  process  discovered  some  fifteen 
hundred  or  two  thousand  bats,  of  which  the  larger  number  were 
killed,  and  the  remainder  sought  the  barn,  trees,  and  other  places 
of  concealment  in  the  neighborhood. 

“ In  the  main  building  nine  thousand  six  hundred  and  forty  bats, 
from  actual  counting,  were  destroyed.  This  was  ascertained  in 
the  following  manner : After  the  battling  of  each  evening  the  dead 
were  swept  into  one  corner  of  the  room,  and  in  the  morning,  be- 
fore removing  them  to  the  manure  heap,  they  were  carefully 
counted  and  recorded  ; many  had  been  killed  before  and  some  few 
after  the  reckoning  was  made,  and  were  not  included  in  it,  nor 
were  those  killed  under  the  adjoining  laundry  roof.  The  massacre 
commenced  by  killing  fewer  the  first  evenings,  the  number  in- 
creasing, and  then  diminishing  towards  the  end  ; but  it  was 
generally  from  fifty  or  a hundred,  up  to  six  hundred  and  fifty — the 
highest  mortality  of  one  evening’s  work — dwindling  down  to 
eight,  five,  three,  and  two. 

“ This  species  of  bat  is  generally  small,  black,  and  very  lively. 
Some  smaller  than  the  ordinary  size  were  found,  probably  young 
ones,  and  one  or  two  larger,  supposed  to  be  grandfathers,  of  a 
reddish  hue,  which  was  thought  to  be  from  age.  These  vermin 
were  generally  more  or  less  covered  with  a small  sized  bug,  not 
very  dissimilar  to  the  common  chinch,  but  of  a different  species. 
As  previously  stated,  the  bat  has  a very  disagreeable  odor,  which 
also  pertains  to  its  ejection. 

“ The  manure,  as  well  as  the  bodies  of  the  slain,  was  used  to 
fertilize  the  flower  and  vegetable  garden,  and  thus,  in  some  degree, 
they  served  to  compensate  us  for  the  annoyance  to  which  we  had 
been  subjected.  The  manure,  however,  required  to  be  applied 
with  caution,  since,  if  used  in  too  large  a quantity,  it  appeared  to 
burn  the  organism  of  the  plants. 

“ To  remove  the  very  disagreeable  odor  which  remained  in  the 
upper  part  of  the  house,  various  kinds  of  disinfectants  were  em- 
ployed with  some  advantage  ; but  the  most  effectual  method  re- 


INTRODUCTION. 


XXI 


sorted  to  was  that  of  opening  holes  of  about  four  inches  square, 
two  at  each  gable  end,  to  permit  a current  of  air  to  pass 
through.  These  holes  were  covered  with  iron  gauze,  to  prevent 
the  re-entrance  of  any  of  the  remainder  of  the  army  of  the  enemy 
which  might  hover  around  the  premises. 

“ At  the  end  of  five  years  the  odor  has  now  nearly  disappeared, 
being  hardly  perceptible  during  a continuance  of  very  damp 
weather.  ” 

The  fact  mentioned  above  of  the  numerous  parasites  infesting 
bats  is  perhaps  the  most  revolting  feature  in  these  creatures.  The 
enormous  population  of  Acari  found  upon  their  bodies  is  due 
to  the  great  generation  of  animal  heat  in  their  close  haunts,  a 
condition  conducive  to  a rapid  increase  of  all  kinds  of  vermin. 
In  this  country  the  common  bed-bug  ( Cimex  lectularis)  is  fre- 
quently found  upon  their  fur.  The  entrance  of  a bat,  with  its 
precious  burden,  into  the  open  window  of  a farm  house  is  the 
solution  of  that  frequently  propounded  question  of  the  despairing 
housewife  : “ Where  can  the  bugs  come  from  ?” 

Of  individual  anecdotes  of  bats  we  have  but  few  examples. 
The  following,  illustrating  the  maternal  instinct,  is  taken  from 
Godman’s  Nat.  Hist.  I,  1831,  56.  It  is  narrated  by  Mr.  Titian 
Peale : — 

“In  June,  1823,  the  son  of  Mr.  Gillespie,  the  keeper  of  the 
city  square,  caught  a young  Red  Bat  ( L . noveboracensis ),  which 
he  took  home  with  him.  Three  hours  afterwards,  in  the  evening, 
as  he  was  conveying  it  to  the  Museum,  in  his  hand,  while  passing 
near  the  place  where  it  was  caught,  the  mother  made  her  appear- 
ance and  followed  the  boy  for  two  squares,  flying  around  him 
and  finally  alighted  on  his  breast,  such  was  her  anxiety  to  save 
her  offspring.  Both  were  brought  to  the  Museum — the  young 
one  firmly  adhering  to  its  mother’s  teat.  This  faithful  creature 
lived  two  days  in  the  Museum,  and  then  died  of  injuries  received 
from  her  captor.  The  young  one,  being  but  half  grown,  was 
still  too  young  to  take  care  of  itself,  and  died  shortly  after.  ’ 


. 

. 

. 


ARTIFICIAL  KEY  TO  THE  GENERA. 


I.  ISTIOPHORA. 

(Bats  with  upright  appendage  on  nose.) 

Megadermatid^e. 

Nose  leaf  simple,  triangular,  acuminate.  . . Macrotus. 

II.  Gymnorhina. 

(Bats  without  upright  appendage  on  nose.) 

A.  Nostrils  circular;  wing  membranes  narrow; 

tail  either  much  longer  or  much  shorter 
than  interfemoral  membrane  . . . Noctilionid^e. 

Lips  grooved  .....  Nyctinomus. 

B.  Nostrils  subelliptical;  wing  membranes  am- 

ple; tail  inclosed  in  interfemoral  mem- 
brane— the  final  joint  in  some  instances 
exserted Yespertilionidas. 

a.  Two  incisors  in  upper  jaw. 

| Six  incisors  in  lower  jaw. 

* Interfemoral  membrane  more 

or  less  hairy  . . . Lasiurus. 

**  Interfemoral  membrane  not 

hairy  ....  Nycticejus. 
t Four  incisors  in  lower  jaw  . . Antrozous. 

b.  Four  incisors  in  upper  jaw. 

f Molars  | ; internal  basal  lobe  of 

ear  acute  . . . . Vespertilio. 

$ Molars  less  than  ® ; internal  basal 
lobe  of  ear  rounded. 

* Nose  with  two  symmetrical 

excrescences  . . . Synotus. 

**  Nose  without  excrescences  . Scotophilia; . 


( xxiii  ) 


- 


' 


MONOGRAPH 


OF 

NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 

Fam.  megadermatid^e. 

MACROTUS,  Gray. 

Macrotus,  Gray,  Pr.  Zool.  Soc.  1843,  21. 

Ears  large,  joined ; leafy  appendage  simple,  erect ; interfemoral 
membranes  large ; point  of  tail  free. 

Fig.  1. 


Skull  thin,  light,  tapering.  The  cranium  inflated  ; parietal 
crest  small. 

Dentition. 

Molars  A . Canines  A . Incisors  — . Canines  A . MolarsA  ==  34  teethl 
6 14  16 

Upper  Jaw. — The  incisors  disproportionate  ; the  central  large 

and  chisel-shaped  ; the  lateral  small,  pointed,  and  converging. 

Canines  small,  slightly  concave  on  inner,  convex  on  outer  surface  ; 

1 


2 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


no  basal  cusps.  First  premolar  of  peculiar  shape,  thin  and  com- 
pressed. It  is  unicuspid,  with  a small  posterior  basal  point 
visible  from  without.  The  second  is  thicker,  and  has  an  internal 
basal  ridge.  The  third  and  fourth  molars  not  peculiar.  The 
fifth  is  small,  greatly  compressed  from  within  outwards. 

Lower  Jaw. — Incisors  crowded,  indistinctly  trilobed  ; canines 
with  a marked  basal  cusp.  The  first  and  second  premolars  of 
about  equal  size,  thick,  with  basal  ridge.  The  remaining  molars 
not  peculiar. 

In  placing  this  genus  under  Megadermatidse  it  should  not  be 
considered  as  having  any  strong  affinity  to  the  genus  Megaderma. 
When  a family  or  subfamily  is  extensive,  the  first  and  last  members 
of  it  often  differ  considerably  from  one  another ; and  in  the  pre- 
sent instance  the  genus  Megaderma  may  be  considered  to  stand  at* 
one  end  of  the  subfamily,  while  Macroius  is  at  the  other,  the 
intervening  members  being  wanting. 

The  nose  leaf  of  Megaderma  is  complex  and  naked,  that  of 
Macrotus  is  simple  and  hairy.  Megaderma  has  no  tail,  while 
that  of  Macrotus  is  produced  beyond  the  interfemoral  membrane, 
Macrotus  has  some  resemblance  to  that  group  of  Phyllostomatidse , 
of  which  Glossophaga  is  the  type.  The  head  has  the  same  long, 
rostroid  appearance,  the  small  acuminated  nose  leaf,  the  cleft  in  the 
lower  lip,  and  the  abrupt  interfemoral  membrane.  The  genus, 
in  fact,  appears  to  stand  between  Megadermatidse  and  Phyllo- 
stomatidse. 

The  genus  Macrotus  was  established  by  Gray  in  the  Proc. 
Zool.  Soc.  for  1843,  p.  21,  upon  specimens  of  M.  waterhousii 
brought  from  Hayti  by  Dr.  Parnell.  The  description  was  very 
brief,  and  accompanied  by  no  mention  of  the  dentition. 


MACROTUS. 


3 


Macrotus  californicus,  Baird. 

Fig.  2.  Fig.  3. 


Macrotus  californicus , Baird,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sc.  Pliila.  1858, 117. — Ib. 
Rep.  U.  S.  and  Mex.  Bound.  Surv.  II,  1859,  Mammals,  p.  4,  pi.  i,  fig.  2. 


Description. — Head  long.  Face  hairy.  Eyes  rather  large, 
almond-shaped.  Nose  leaf  acuminate,  higher  than  broad,  its  nar- 
row nostrils  placed  in  its  base  obliquely.  Ears  very  large,  united 
over  the  head  by  an  incised,  transverse  membrane ; they  are  oval 
and  slightly  hairy.  Tragus  not  quite  half  as  high  as  the  auricle ; 
lanceolate  straight  on  outer  border,  where  at  base  there  is  an 
abrupt  increase  in  width  with  a slight  revolution  posteriorly  ; 
inner  border  not  thickened,  the  upper  half  concave,  lower  half 
convex.  Lower  lip  cleft,  shield  triangular  acute.  Thumb  slen- 
der, long  ; basal  joint  shortest.  Tail  produced  two  lines  beyond 
the  interfemoral  membrane.  The  calcaneum  large.  Wing  mem- 
brane extends  to  ankle  ; in  some  specimens  it  seems  to  arise  by  a 
slight  attachment  from  the  calcaneum  in  the  same  manner  as  in 
the  genus  Natalus.  Foot  moderate,  with  short  compressed  hairs 
on  upper  surface,  claws  rather  large. 

The  fur  is  indistinctly  tricolored.  Above,  base  white,  terminal 
third  fawn,  its  tip  gray.  Below,  base  likewise  white,  terminal 
third  fawn,  its  tip  white — thus  giving  the  fur  a grizzled,  wavy 
appearance.  The  hair  about  the  face  is  shorter  and  more  inclined 
to  brown.  Immediately  behind  the  junction  of  the  ears  the  head 
is  almost  naked.  The  basal  portions  of  the  ears  have  growths  of 
hair  upon  them  which  may  be  contiguous  in  the  living  animal. 

This  species  is  closely  related  to  M.  waterhousiif  Gray,  of 
Cuba,  Hayti,  and  other  West  Indian  Islands;  but  a comparison 


4 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


of  the  type  with  good  specimens  of  the  latter  from  Cuba,  pre- 
served in  alcohol,  and  presented  by  Prof.  Poey  to  the  Smithsonian 
Institution,  show  unmistakable  differences’  as  do  others  from 
Jamaica,  recently  received  from  Mr.  March. 

The  chin  plates  are  less  acutely  defined  ; the  internal  border  of 
the  tragus  is  much  thickened,  and  the  revoluted  portion  at  the 
base  of  the  external  border  is  slightly  swollen.  The  fur  is  bi- 
colored ; central  portion  dark-brown  instead  of  fawn.  The  nose 
leaf  is  of  about  the  same  height  as  in  the  above  species ; the  tail, 
however,  is  .25  of  an  inch  shorter.  The  dentition  is  similar. 

The  31.  mexicana , Saussure,  is  a species  from  Mexico  described 
by  M.  Saussure  in  Revue  et  Mag.  de.  Zook,  2d  series,  XII, 
1860,  p.  486.  The  author  states  that  the  description  is  taken 
from  a specimen  which  was  in  poor  condition.  It  is  difficult  to 
tell  from  his  description  whether  his  species  is  the  same  as  31. 
californicus  or  not. 

Fig.  4. 


Measurements. 


Current 

number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

Height  of 
nose-leaf. 

Length  of 
forearm. 

Length  of 
tibia. 

Length  of 
longest  finger. 

Length  of 
thumb. 

Height  of 
ear. 

Height  of 
tragus. 

Expanse. 

1 Nature  of 

specimen. 

2317 

2 3 

1.6 

0.2 

1.10 

0.9 

3.3 

0.5 

1.1 

0.5  ; 

10.0 

Ale. 

5214 

417 

2.0 

1.3 

0.2 

1.8 

0.8 

3.0 

0 5 

1.0 

0-4j 

10.0 

5214a 

411 

20 

1.4 

0.2 

1.10 

0.10 

3.2 

0.4 

1.2 

0 5 

10.0 

52145 

410 

2.0 

1.3 

0.2 

20 

0.10 

3.0 

0.5 

1-0 

0.4| 

10.0 

t i 

5214c 

797 

2.0 

1.2 

0.2 

2.0 

0.8 

3.0 

0.5 

1.0 

0.5 

11  0 

it 

5214  d 

2 0 

1.4 

0.2 

1.8 

0 10 

3.0 

0.5 

0.11 

0 4 

10.6 

a 

521 4e 

412 

2.0 

1.4 

0.2 

1.9 

0.9 

3.0 

0.5 

1.0 

0 6 

11.0 

it 

6174 

415 

2.0 

1.3 

0.2 

1.8 

0.8 

3.0 

0.5 

1.0 

0.5 

10.6 

c t 

NYCTTNOMUS. 


5 


List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

Specimens. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

- 

Nature  of  Spec'n. 

2347 

1 

Fort  Yuma,  Cal. 

^ Maj.  0.  H.  Thomas. 

In  alcohol  (type). 

5214 

28 

Cape  St.  Lucas. 

| John  Xantus. 

In  alcohol. 

6174 

1 

Cape  St.  Lucas. 

| John  Xantus. 

I 

In  alcohol. 

Fam.  noctilionid^e. 

NYCTINOMUS,  Geoff. 

Nyctinomus,  Et.  Geoffroy,  Desc.  de  l’Egypte  (Hist.  Nat.),  II,  1814. — Is. 

Geoffroy,  Ann.  des  Sc.  Nat.  1, 1824,  337. — Castelnau,  Exp.  d’Amer. 

Sud ; Mammif.  pi.  xii,  f.  2. 

Ears  generally  joined ; lips  thick,  pendulous,  grooved  ; nose 
sharp,  well  defined ; tragus  obtuse,  broad  and  square  ; tail  pro- 
duced beyond  the  interfemoral  membrane  nearly  half  its  length  ; 
great  toes  separated  from  the  others,  and  fringed  on  their  outer 
side. 


Fig.  5. 


N.  nasutus. 


Skull. — The  cranium  is  inflated,  with  no  appearance  of  crest, 
and  very  papery.  The  anterior  nares  small.  Intermaxillary 
bones  rudimentary ; facial  angle  small.  Auditory  capsules  large. 
Lower  jaw  slender  and  elongated. 


6 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


Dentition . 

Molars  Canines  — . Incisors  Canines  A.  Molars  — — 30  teeth. 

5 1 4 1 5 — 

Upper  Jaw. — Superior  incisors  converge  but  do  not  touch. 
The  first  premolar  is  very  small,  but  not  hidden  ; the  second  has 
a sharp,  well  defined  internal  cusp.  The  internal  cusp  of  the  third 
upper  molar  has  a posterior  prolongation  ; last  molar  large. 

Lower  Jaw. — The  incisors  are  very  small,  bilobed  and  crowded. 
The  canines  are  slender,  with  an  internal  cusp,  which  does  not 
meet  its  fellow  in  the  middle  line.  Two  premolars  of  nearly 
equal  size,  unicuspid,  the  posterior  being  a little  the  larger.  The 
remaining  three  molars  are  in  nowise  peculiar. 

A singular  confusion  has  always  existed  in  the  efforts  of 
naturalists  to  accurately  determine  the  forms  of  the  Molossoid 
group  of  the  Noctilionidse. 

The  names  of  Vespertilio , Molossus,  Dysopes,  Dinops  and  Nycti - 
nomus,  have  been  applied  almost  indiscriminately  to  the  different 
species.  Geof.  St.  Hilaire  established  the  genus  Molossus,  in 
1805,  in  Ann.  du  Mus.  VI,  150.  In  1814,  he  founded  the  genus 
Nyctinomus  in  the  “ Description  de  l’Egypte.”  As  far  as  my  ob- 
servation has  been  extended,  it  is  among  these  two  genera  that 
the  different  species  can  be  properly  grouped,  excepting  per- 
haps the  form  Cheiromeles,  Horsf.  Molossus  is  an  American 
genus.  Nyctinomus  has  an  extensive  distribution,  being  found  in 
Africa,  Australia,  and  America.  Peters,  in  “ Reise  nach  Mo- 
zambique,” has  described  two  African  species  under  the  names  of 
Dysopes  brachypterus  and  limbatus,  but  the  figured  skulls  and 
heads  correspond  exactly  to  those  of  Nyctinomus.  Tomes,  while 
adverse  to  the  separation,  states  that  if  separated,  Molossus 
australis,  Gould,  from  Australia,  belongs  to  Nyctinomus.  Hors- 
field’s  elaborate  and  sagacious  researches  in  Asia  have  brought 
to  light  N.  tenuis ; and  finally,  Is.  St.  Hilaire  noticed  as  early 
as  1824  (Ann.  des  Sc.  Nat.,  April,  1824),  the  prevalence  of  the 
genus  in  America. 

Nyctinomus  can  readily  be  distinguished  from  Molossus  by  the 
following  characters  : — 

Molossus.  Superior  incisors  converge  and  touch.  Molars 
four  in  upper  jaw ; internal  cusp  of  third  molar  not  prolonged 


NYCTINOMUS. 


7 

posteriorly  ; last  molar  small.  Skull  not  markedly  broad.  Lips 
thick  and  heavy,  but  not  furrowed.  Nose  rounded.  Tragus  a 
mere  point  of  integument. 

Nyctinomus.  Superior  incisors--  converge  but  do  not  touch. 
Molars  in  upper  jaw  five ; internal  cusp  of  third  upper  molar 
having  a posterior  prolongation  ; last  molar  large.  Skull  broad. 
Lips  very  pendulous  and  furrowed.  Nose  sharp,  well  defined. 
Tragus  obtuse,  broad,  and  square. 


Nyctinomus  nasutus,  Tomes. 
Fig.  6.  Fig.  7. 


Molossus  nasutus , Spix,  Sim.  et  Yesp.  Bras.,  1823,  60,  pi.  xxxv,  fig.  7 ; fide 
Isis,  August,  1824,  899  (Brazil). — Schinz,  Syn.  Mamm.  I,  1844,  143. 
Dysopes  nasutus , Temm.,  Mon.  Mamm.  I,  1827,  234. — Ib.  Zool.  Jour.  Ill, 
1828,  459. — Wagner,  Suppl.  Schreber,  I,  1844,  474. — Ib.  V,  1855, 

711. 

Nyctinomus  nasutus , Tomes,  Pr.  Zool.  Soc.  Lond.  1861,  68  (Jamaica). 
Nyctinomus  brasiliensis,  Isid.  Geoff.,  Ann.  des  Sc.  Nat.  I,  April,  1824, 
337,  pi.  xxii  (Brazil). — Ib.  Zool.  Journ.  1, 1825, 133. — Ferussac,  Bull, 
des  Sc.  Nat.  II,  1824,  74. 

Nyctinomus  murinus,  Gray,  Griffith’s  Cuv.  Ann.  Kingdom,  V,  1828,  66. 
Nycticea  cynocephala,  Leconte,  Cuv.  An.  Kingdom  (McMurtrie)  I,  1831, 
432  (South  Carolina). 

Molossus  cynocephalus,  Cooper,  Ann.  N.  Y.  Lyc.  IV,  1837,  65,  pi.  iii,  fig. 

1. — Wagner,  Suppl.  Schreber,  V,  1855,  714. 

Molossus  fuliginosus,  Cooper,  Ann.  N.  Y.  Lyc.  IV,  1837,  67,  pi.  iii,  f.  3 
(S.  Carolina.) 

Rhinopoma  carolinensis , Gundlach,  Archiv  f.  Natur.  1840,  358,  (not  of 
Geoff.,  in  Desm.  Mamm.  1820, 130,  and  Diet.  d’Hist.  Nat.  XLV,  1829). 
—Leconte,  Pr.  A.  N.  Sc.  Phil.  VII,  1855,  437. 

? Dysopes  naso,  Wagner,  Suppl.  Schreb.  I.  1840,  475,  based  on  Nycti- 
nomus brasiliensis,  Geoff. 

Nyctinomus  mexicanus , Sauss.,  Rev.  et  Mag.  de  Zool.  XI,  1860,  283. 


8 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


Description. — Head  rather  large  ; made  to  appear  more  so  by 
the  heavy  pendulous  lips.  Ears  broad  as  high,  obtusely  square, 
almost  joining  on  top  of  the  head  ; on  their  inner  anterior  border 
five  minute  warts  are  observed.  The  outer  border  is  emarginate 
at  its  upper,  strongly  concave  at  its  lower  portion,  where  at  its 
basal  third  it  is  doubled  upon  itself.  The  mouth  has  upon  it  a 
bristled  wart.  The  tragus  is  small,  very  obtuse  ; the  outer  border 
rather  the  longer.  It  is  furnished  at  the  tip  with  three  or  four 
bristles.  The  sides  of  the  face  are  very  little  swollen.  The  in- 
flated portions  are  continuous  with  the  inner  border  of  the  ear, 
and  both  it  and  the  pendulous  lips,  which  are  crimped  into  eight 
perpendicular  lines,  are  studded  with  stiff  bristles  some  three  lines 
in  length,  those  near  the  mouth  being  shorter.  The  snout  is  pro- 
minent, produced,  truncated,  and  emarginate  ; a little  ridge  runs 
down  the  median  line.  The  upper  margin  is  beautifully  crenu- 
lated,  the  lower  is  thickly  set  with  a row  of  projecting  setae, 
between  which  and  the  base  of  the  nostrils  runs  a deep  groove. 
The  nostrils  themselves  are  simple,  rounded,  and  open  sublaterally. 
The  lower  lips  are  thick  but  not  crimped  ; they  are  quite  bristly, 
and  a small  median  wart  is  placed  three  lines  from  the  mouth. 

The  fur  is  thick,  short,  soft,  and  almost  entirely  confined  to  the 
body.  Above  it  is  dark  fawn  at  tip,  with  a base  of  a whitish  hue. 
It  extends  up  upon  the  back  of  the  ears  one-third  their  height. 
There  is  a very  delicate  patch  on  the  interbrachial  membrane. 
In  front  the  color  is  light  cinereus  at  base  ; tip  a delicate  fawn. 
Thumb  moderate.  Foot  large ; toes  furnished  with  long  hairs ; the 
first  and  fifth  fingers  with  numerous  and  thicker  hairs  in  addition. 

Nyctinomus  nasutus,  Tomes,  has  been  selected  as  the  name  of 
this,  species  after  careful  search.  Eor  a long  time,  N.  bra- 
siliensis , Is’d.  Geof.,  was  thought  to  have  the  priority,  but  the 
reference  following  Dysopes  nasutus,  Spix,  in  the  above  synonymy, 
shows  clearly  that  this  description  has  the  priority  of  one  year 
over  the  former.  Mr.  Tomes’s  name  follows  the  title,  since  he 
was  the  first  to  give  it  its  proper  name. 

Geoff.  St.  Hilaire,  after  founding  the  genus  Nyctinomus,  is  said 
to  have  described  a bat  from  North  America,  which  was  called 
Bhinopoma  carolinensis.  This  is  considered  by  Major  Leconte 
to  be  the  same  as  the  species  under  consideration.  But  Nycti- 
nomus has  a naked  nose,  while  Bhinopoma  has  a well  developed 
noseleaf  and  operculum.  There  has  been  no  figure  given  of  this 


NYCTINOMUS. 


9 


animal,  but  a glance  at  a figure  of  another  species  of  the  same 
genus,  R.  macrophylla,  Geoff.,  Plates  of  the  “Description  de 
l’Egypte,”  pi.  i,  fig.  1 (erroneously  entitled  Taphozous  filet), 
will  at  once  show  the  wide  differences  existing  between  Rhino- 
poma  and  Nyctinomus.  I have  discarded  Geoffroy’s  name,  there- 
fore, thinking  it  very  probable  that  it  has  had  an  erroneous  locality 
thrust  upon  it.1  It  is  somewhat  singular  that  Major  Leconte 
should  have  adopted  this  name  at  the  sacrifice  of  his  own — Ny di- 
ced cynocephala — upon  the  bare  supposition  that  the  specific 
name,  carolinensis , might  lead  to  the  conclusion  that  Rhinopomci 
had  been  found  in  North  America.  As  far  as  I have  been  en- 
abled to  observe,  there  are  no  leaf-nosed  bats  whatever  inhabiting 
the  Atlantic  slope  of  the  United  States. 

The  species  M.  cynocephalus  and  fuliginosus,  of  Mr.  Cooper, 
evidently  refer  to  the  same  animal ; the  minute  differences  ob- 
served in  the  ears  are  due  to  the  circumstance  that  Mr.  Cooper’s 
descriptions  were  taken  from  dried  specimens. 

There  is  no  longer  much  doubt  about  the  extensive  distribu- 
tion of  fcthis  species.  Mr.  Tomes3  has  examined  specimens  from 
different  South  American  localities,  and  he  affirms  that  they  are 
identical  with  those  obtained  from  South  Carolina.  I have  also 
examined  a specimen  from  Hayti,  and  another  from  Buenos  Ayres, 
both  of  which  belong  to  the  Mus.  Comp.  Zoology,  Cambridge,  and 
they  appear  to  be  precisely  similar  to  the  more  northern  individuals. 

It  may  be  proper  to  state  that  Wagner  considers  the  Molossus 
nasutus  of  Spix  to  be  different  from  Nyctinomus  brasiliensis  of 
Geoffrey  ( =D . nasutus , Temm.),  and  gives  the  name  of  D.  naso 
to  the  latter  species.  Burmeister  also  applies  the  latter  name  to 
a species  found  about  Buenos  Ayres  (Reise  durch  die  La  Plata 
Staaten,  II,  1861,  392)  and  in  Chile. 

' “ This  ( N . nasutus ) has  been  supposed  by  Major  Leconte  and  others  to 
he  the  R.  carolinensis  of  M.  Geoffroy  ; but  having  examined  the  types  of 
this  species  in  the  Paris  Museum,  I am  enabled  to  state  that  this  is  not 
the  case.  The  R.  carolinensis  is  a small  Molossus  from  West  Africa  and 
Bourbon  ( M . acetahulosus  — M.  natalensis ).” — Tomes,  Pr.  Zool.  Soc.  1861, 

p.  68. 

2 “ I have  received  specimens  from  many  localities  in  South  America 
and  have  compared  them  with  others  from  Central  America,  and  with  the 
types  of  N.  brasiliensis  in  the  Paris  Museum  ; and  again  with  specimens 
of  N.  fuliginosus  from  Charleston,  S.  C.,  whence  they  had  been  sent  by  Dr. 
Bachman,  and  I find  them  to  be  all  one  species.’’ — Tomes,  loc.  cit. 


10 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


Measurements. 


| Current 

| number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

Length  of 

forearm. 

Length  of 

tibia. 

Length  of 

longest  finger. 

Length  of 

thumb. 

Height  of 

ear. 

Height  of 

tragus. 

Expanse. 

Nature  of 

specimen.  j 

5253 

2.6 

1.3 

1.7 

0.6 

3.0 

0.4 

0.7 

0.2 

11.0 

Alcoholic. 

5494 

2.6 

1.1 

1.9 

0.6 

3.0 

0.4 

0.7 

0.2 

10.3 

it 

2.6 

1.0 

1.7 

0.6 

3.2 

0.4 

0.6 

0.2 

10.0 

it 

5227 

2.4 

1 3 

1.6 

0.6 

3.2 

0A\ 

0.6 

0.2 

9.9 

tt 

5219 

2.3 

1.3 

1.6 

0.6 

3.0 

0.3 

0.7 

0.2 

10.0 

tt 

2.3 

1.2 

1.7 

0.6 

3.0 

0.3 

0.7 

0.2 

10.6 

u 

2.0 

1.3 

1.6 

0.5 

3.0 

0.3 

0.7 

0.2 

10.4 

it 

5225 

2.2 

1.2 

1.6 

0.6 

3.0 

0.3 

0.7 

0.2 

10.3 

a 

List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Specimen. 

5475 

1 

Upper  Rio  Grande. 

Dr.  T.  C.  Henry. 

Dry. 

5473 

1 

El  Paso. 

J.  H.  Clark. 

5225 

1 

Eastern  Texas. 

“ “ 

Alcoholic. 

5219 

3 

Pecos  to  R.  Grande. 

Capt.  J.  Pope. 

“ 

5496 

2 

Grand  Coteau,  La. 

St.  Chas.  Coll. 

“ 

5223 

1 

Matamoras. 

Lt.  Couch. 

5227 

1 

Fort  Yuma,  Cal. 

Maj.  G.  H.  Thomas. 

“ 

4742 

1 

“U.  S.” 

Maj.  Leconte. 

Dry. 

Fig.  8. 


NYCTICEJUS. 


11 


Fam.  vespeftilionidje. 

NYCTICEJUS,  Raf. 

Nycticejus , Raf.,  Journal  de  Physique,  LXXXVIII,  1819,  417. 

Head  short,  broad,  flat ; ears  small,  simple,  widely  separated  ; 
upper  incisors  two  ; membranes  naked. 


N.  crepuscularis. 


Skull . — Intermediate  between  that  of  Scotophilus  and  that  of 
Lasiurus,  flat,  but  not  to  the  extent  seen  in  the  former ; cranium 
inflated,  but  not  so  much  as  in  the  latter.  It  is  not  elevated  ; the 
occipital  elevation  is  not  abrupt.  Compared  with  that  of  L. 
noveboracensis,  a bat  of  nearly  the  same  size,  it  is  longer,  and 
face  more  pointed.  The  palate  is  more  level  and  does  not  slope 
so  much  at  its  posterior  part.  The  infraorbital  foramen  is  larger, 
with  a slight  tendency  toward  the  formation  of  a groove.  The 
lower  jaw  is  less  abrupt ; the  incisors  are  placed  more  anteriorly 
to  the  canines  in  a larger  arc. 

Dentition. 

Molars  Canines  JL.  Incisors  A.  Canines  A.  Molars  — —30  teeth. 

51615“ 

Upper  Jaw. — Incisors  small,  contiguous  to  canines,  and  slightly 
converging ; canines  large,  simple.  Molars  not  peculiar.  The 
first  more  slender  and  longer  than  the  others,  but  not  so  broad  ; 
destitute  of  the  W-shaped  crown. 


12 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS 


Lower  Jaw. — Incisors  not  crowded,  bifid.  Canine  simple, 
turned  markedly  backward ; basal  ridge  anteriorly  well  developed ; 
first  premolar  larger  than  the  same  tooth  in  Lasiurus , but  in  com- 
parison with  the  second  is  of  itself  small.  The  second  premoiar, 
if  produced,  would  not  touch  an  extended  line  from  the  canine. 
The  basal  ridges  of  both  these  teeth  are  large.  Molars  proper, 
not  peculiar. 

This  genus  of  Rafinesque’s  has  until  recently  held  an  uncertain 
position.  As  imperfectly  defined  by  its  describer  the  presence  of 
two  incisors  only,  in  the  upper  jaw,  was  brought  out  as  the  pro- 
minent generic  characteristic.  But,  as  it  was  afterwards  observed, 
the  incisors  are  variable,  the  young,  it  was  thought,  having  four 
incisors,  the  adult  but  two.  And  even  this  observation  applied 
more  to  the  genus  as  then  understood  than  to  it  as  now  restricted ; 
for  the  above  fact  in  relation  to  the  dentition  is  also  observed  in 
L.  noveboracensis.  So  we  conclude  that  the  presence  of  but  two 
incisors  in  the  upper  jaw  of  Nycticejus  is  still  a permanent 
character,  though  not  a very  important  one. 


Nycticejus  crepuscularis,  Allen. 


Fig.  10.  Fig.  11. 


Vespertilio  crepuscular  is,  Lec.,  Cuv.  An.  Kingdom  (McMurtrie  ed.),  I, 
1831,  432. — Ib.,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  VII,  1855,  433. 

Vespertilio  creeks,  Fr.  Cuv.  Nouv.  Ann.  du  Mus.  I,  1832,  18. 

Nycticejus  humeralis,  (?)  Raf.,  Journal  de  Physique,  LXXXVIII,  1819, 41 7. 

Description. — Ears  small,  internal  basal  lobe  small  and  curved; 
the  external  basal  lobe  also  rather  inconspicuous;  between  the 


NYCTICEJUS. 


13 


latter  and  the  angle  of  the  mouth  a small  wart  is  present.  Tra- 
gus straight  on  internal,  irregularly  convex  on  outer  border.  Face 
black  ; nostrils  simple,  not  produced,  very  little  emarginated  ; sides 
of  face  much  swollen.  Lower  jaw  has  a rather  large  naked  space 
at  chin.  Eyes  small,  with  a wart  above  on  either  side.  Thumb 
moderate.  Membranes  blackish-brown,  extending  to  base  of  toes. 
Feet  rather  small,  slightly  haired  above.  Interfemoral  triangular, 
moderately  ample.  Calcaneum  slight.  Tip  of  tail  exserted. 

The  general  expression  is  thus  observed  to  be  that  of  Scotophi - 
lus,  but  it  differs  from  that  genus  in  the  blackish  hue  of  the  mem- 
branes of  ear  and  skin  of  face,  and  in* the  smallness  of  the  former. 

The  fur  is  rather  scanty,  with  the  exception  of  a small  patch  at 
base  of  the  interfemoral  membrane ; before  and  behind  there  is  no 
hair  on  the  membranes.  The  lower  third  of  posterior  surface  of 
ears  is  covered  with  soft  hair.  The  fur  is  inclined  to  be  woolly  ; 
everywhere  it  is  rather  short.  That  of  the  back  is  dark  fawn  for 
the  upper  half,  the  lower  half  being  a lighter  hue  bordering  on 
brown.  In  front  the  color  is  more  uniform  and  lighter,  being 
plumbeous  at  base,  light  brown  at  tips.  In  one  specimen,  No.  882, 
Georgia,  Phila.  Acad.,  the  fur  runs  on  to  the  membranes  before 
and  behind  midway  to  the  elbow.  In  another,  No.  283,  Carlisle, 
Pa.,  the  coloration  in  front  resembles  V.  subulatus,  Say,  that  of 
the  back  more  brownish. 


Measurements. 


Current 
i number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

Length  of 
forearm. 

O 

5 .5 

£ -rz 
o +* 

Length  of 
longest  finger. 

Length  of 
thumb. 

Height  of 
ear. 

Height  of 
tragus. 

Expanse. 

Nature  of 
^ecimen. 

5312 

2.0 

1.5 

1.4 

0.6 

2.6 

0.4 

04 

0.2* 

9 6 

Alcoholic. 

2 0 

1.5 

1.4 

0.6 

2.6 

0.4 

0.5 

0.2 

9.9 

2.0 

1.5 

1.4 

0.6 

2.5 

0.3 

0.4 

0.3 

9.3 

it 

5313 

2.0 

1-4* 

1.4 

0.6 

2.6 

0.3 

0.4 

0.3 

9.3 

u 

5322 

1.5 

1.4 

0.6 

2.6* 

0.4 

0.5 

0.3 

it 

5329 

2.0 

1.2 

1.3 

0.6 

2.3* 

0.4 

0.4 

0.2* 

9.3 

<< 

2.0 

1.2 

1.6 

0.6 

2.7 

0.4 

0.4* 

0.2* 

9.9 

u 

4735 

2.0 

1.2 

1.3 

0.6 

2.5 

0.4 

0 4 

0 2 

8.6 

Dry. 

4736 

2.0 

1.2 

1.3 

0.6 

2.1 

0.3 

0.3* 

0.2 

7.9 

111 

1.6 

2.2 

0.3 

0.4 

0.2 

283 

1.9 

1.4 

1.4 

0.6 

2.2 

0 3 

0.4 

0.2* 

7.6 

882 

2.0 

1.3 

1.5 

0.6 

2.4 

0.3 

0.6* 

0.3 

8.0 

“ 

14 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

! 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Spec'm. 

5448 

1 

Carlisle,  Pa. 

S.  F.  Baird. 

Dry. 

5350 

1 

Washington,  D.  C. 

? 

Alcoholic. 

5312 

2 

Liberty  Co.,  Ga. 

Dr.  Jos.  Jones. 

H 

5313 

1 

New  Orleans. 

N.  0.  Academy. 

a 

5300 

1 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Dr.  G.  Engelmann. 

a 

5322 

1 

Nebraska. 

Dr.  Cooper. 

it 

5397 

1 

Redmond’s  Ranch, Tex. 

J.  H.  Clark. 

it 

5372 

3 

Matamoras,  (Berl.  Col.). 

Lt.  D.  N.  Couch. 

n 

5329 

2 

“ “ 

it 

4736 

1 

“U.  S.” 

Maj.  Leconte. 

Dry. 

5539 

1 

? 

? 

LASIURUS,  Raf.  (?) 

Head  depressed,  lips  slightly  fringed ; nostrils  wide  apart ; 
skull  flat,  massive  ; occipital  crest  prominent. 

Fig.  12. 


Lasiurus  noveboracensis. 

Skull  broad,  high,  sub-angular;  facial  line  abruptly  elevated; 
marked  depressions  in  the  facial  bones  in  the  median  line ; 
zygomas  complete. 

Dentition. 

Molars  Aor  A.  Can.  A.  Inc.  A.  Can.  A.  Mol.  A or  A = 32  or  30  teeth. 

5 5 1 6 1 5 5 

Superior  incisors  stout,  placed  close  beside  the  canines. 

In  the  young  animals  the  number  of  incisors  in  the  upper 

jaw,  four. 

The  name,  Lasiurus,  it  has  been  asserted,  was  first  applied  to 


LASIURUS. 


15 


a genus  of  Vespertilionidse  by  Rafinesquc.  Dr.  Gray,1 2  quoting 
this  author,  adopts  the  name  but  without  defining  the  genus. 
Mr.  Tomes,  in  his  Monograph  of  Lasiurus ,3  while  dwelling  at 
length  on  the  species,  says  nothing  of  the  characters  common  to 
them  all,  nor  have  I been  able  to  find  in  any  author  the  de- 
sired information  as  to  who  gave  the  original  description  and 
where  its  record  is  to  be  found.  It  appears,  nevertheless,  that 
naturalists  have  readily  recognized  the  propriety  of  considering 
Lasiurus  as  distinct  from  Vespertilio. 

The  following  is  a synopsis  of  the  species  included  under 
Lasiurus : — 

«.  Posterior  surface  of  interfemoral  membrane  concealed  by  hair. 

Border  of  ear  light  brown  . . . . L.  noveboracensis. 

Border  of  ear  black  . . . . . L.  cinereus. 

b.  Posterior  surface  of  interfemoral  membrane  exposed.  L.  intermedius. 


Lasiurus  noveboracensis,  Tomes. 

The  Bed  Bat. 

Fig.  13.  Fig.  14. 


Vespertilio  noveboracensis , Erxl.  Syst.  Reg.  Anim.  1777,  135. — Harlan, 
Fauna  Amer.  1825,  20. — Godman,  Amer.  Nat.  Hist.  I,  1826,  50. — 
Cooper,  Ann.  Lyc.  Nat.  Hist.  N.  Y.  1837,57. — DeKay,  Nat.  Hist.  N.  Y. 
(Zool.)  1842,  6,  pi.  ii. — Leconte,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sei.  1855,  432. 
Nycticejus  noveboracensis , Leconte,  Cuv.  Regn.  Anim.  (McMurtrie’s)  Ap- 


1 List  of  the  species  of  Mammalia  of  the  British  Museum,  1843,  32. 

2 Proc.  Zool.  Soc.  XXV,  1857,  34. 


16 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


pendix,  1831,  432. — Temm.  Monog.  II,  1835-1841,  158.  - — Wagner, 
Suppl.  Schreb.  Saug.  I,  1840,  546. — Ib.  V,  1855,  773. — Schinz,  Synop- 
sis Mam.  I,  1844,  199. — Max  Prince  Wied,  Archiv  Naturg.  1861, 188. 
Lasiurus  noveboracensis,  Tomes,  Proc.  Zool.  Soc.  1857,  34. 

Vespertilio  lasiurus , Gmel.  Syst.  Nat.  1788. — Schreb.  Saug.  1826. — Geoff. 
Ann.  du  Mus.  VIII,  1806,  200,  f.  6. — Desm.  Mam.  1820,  142. — Fisch. 
Synop.  Mam.  1829,  109. 

Nycticejus  lasiurus,  Wagner,  Schreb.  Saug.  Suppl.  V,  1855,  772. 

Vespertilio  rubellus,  Palisot  de  Beacvois,  Cat.  Peale’s  Mus.  1796. 

Vespertilio  villosissimus,  Geoff.  Ann.  du  Mus.  VIII,  1806,  478. — Desm. 
Mam.  1830,  143. — Fisch.  Syn.  Mam.  1829,  110. — Rengg.  Saugt.  von 
Parag.  1830,  83. — Wagner,  Supp.  Schreb.  Saug.  I,  1840,  536. 
Vespertilio  monachus,  Raf.  Am.  Month.  Mag.  IV,  1817,  445. 

Vespertilio  tessalatus,  Ib. 

Taphyzous  rufus,  Harlan,  Fauna  Americana,  1825,  23. 

Vespertilio  rufus,  Warden,  Descript.  United  States,  V,  602.  (?) 

Lasiurus  rufus,  Gray,  List.  Mam.  Brit.  Mus.  1843,  32. — Gosse,  Naturalist 
in  Jamaica,  1851,  280. 

Vespertilio  blossevillii,  Less,  et  Garn.  Bull,  des  Sci.  Nat.  VIII,  95. — Fisch. 
Synop.  Mam.  1829,  110. — La  Sagra,  Hist,  de  Pile  de  Cuba,  1840,  6, 
pi.  i,  f.  4,  5,  6,  7,  8. 

Vespertilio  bonariensis,  Less.  Voy.  de  la  Coquille,  1829. 

Nycticejus  varius , Poepp.  Reise  Chili,  1, 1835, 451. — Wagner,  Suppl.  Schreb. 

Saugt.  I,  1840,  547. — Gay,  Hist,  de  Chili,  (Zool.)  I,  1848,  37. 

New  York  Bat,  Penn.  Syn.  Quad.  1771,  367. — Penn.  Arct.  Zool.  1792, 184. 

— Kirtland,  Zool.  Report,  175. — Emmons,  Mass.  Report,  1840,  9. 

Red  Bat,  Wilson  Ornith.  VI,  50,  f.  4. 

Habitat. — Universally  distributed  throughout  the  temperate 
regions  of  North  America  ; moderately  abundant. 

Description. — Head  and  face  hairy ; nose  blunt,  rounded, 
slightly  emarginated  ; nostrils  opening  semi-laterally.  The  sides 
of  the  face  slightly  inflated  and  set  with  small  stiff  hairs.  A 
similar  row  of  longer  hair  surrounds  the  eyes.  The  upper  lip, 
especially  at  the  sides  of  the  face,  is  more  massive  than  the 
lower,  and  is  somewhat  produced.  The  ears  are  sub-rounded ; — 
the  inner  border  straight  until  near  the  tip  where  it  suddenly 
turns  outwards ; — at  its  base  is  a well  developed  lobe  which  lies 
close  to,  but  slightly  behind  the  tragus.  The  outer  border  is 
slightly  convex,  and  terminates  at  the  angle  of  the  mouth.  On 
a line  with  the  outer  border  of  the  ear  a sharply  defined  lobe  is 
noticed,  which  at  first  appears  to  be  the  termination  of  the  border, 
but  upon  close  examination  it  is  found  to  continue  on  to  the  angle 
of  the  mouth.  Between  this  lobe  and  the  mouth  there  is  placed 


LAS1URUS. 


It 


a small  wart  which  is  covered  with  setae.  The  tragus  is  half  the 
height  of  the  ear,  is  straight  on  the  inner  edge,  except  at  the 
point,  where  it  turns  abruptly  inwards.  The  outer  border  has  a 
very  irregular  outline.  The  basal  portion  is  indentated.  This 
indentation,  which,  in  comparison  to  other  species  of  Vesper- 
tilionidae  is  considerable,  is  of  itself  not  very  deep,  and  ends  in 
the  most  convex  point  of  the  tragus,  whence  the  border  runs 
upward  and  inward  to  the  tip.  The  lower  jaw  is  covered  with 
short  hairs,  and  has  at  its  symphysis  a small  naked  space  which 
is  gradually  lost  along  the  sides  of  the  mouth.  The  posterior 
surface  of  the  ear  is  covered  with  hair  one-half  its  length,  which 
extends  upon  the  anterior  production  of  the  external  border 
down  to  the  angle  of  the  mouth. 

The  fur  of  the  body  is  everywhere  long  and  silky.  Anteriorly 
it  is  rather  denser  though  not  quite  so  long  as  that  posteriorly. 
It  is  of  a light  russet  red,  tinged  with  yellow — being  tipped  with 
gray  toward  the  neck,  and  verging  to  a fawn  color,  in  some  speci- 
mens, towards  the  pubis.  Fur  of  the  same  general  hue  extends 
from  the  body  upon  the  alar  membranes  up  to  the  base  of  the 
third  finger  of  either  side  and  blends  with  that  upon  the  anterior 
surface  of  the  interfemoral  membrane  at  about  the  region  of  the 
tibio-femoral  articulation.  The  hair  upon  the  latter  membrane 
runs  down  fully  one-half  its  length  in  most  specimens.  The  inter- 
brachial  expansion  also  possesses  a sparse  growth  of  yellowish 
fur.  Posteriorly  the  fur  is  very  long  and  presents  a richer  appear- 
ance than  anteriorly.  The  russet  red  color  is  here  predomi- 
nant in  the  majority  of  individuals,  though  we  meet  with  a great 
variety  of  hues  of  fawn,  fawn-red,  and  yellowish  cinereous.  At 
each  shoulder  a conspicuous  white  tuft  of  hair  is  seen  ; this  is 
not  elevated  above  the  surrounding  fur  of  the  neck  with  which 
its  whitish  color  gradually  blends. 

The  posterior  surface  of  the  alar  membranes  is  less  extensively 
furred  along  the  brachial  and  digital  regions  than  the  anterior 
surface,  being  here  almost  altogether  confined  to  longitudinal 
bands  extending  from  the  neck  downwards  across  the  interbrachial 
membrane  midway  from  the  shoulder  to  the  elbow,  and  thence 
continuing  along  the  sides  of  the  body  and  external  border  of  the 
tibia  to  the  ankle  and  tarsus  of  either  side.  The  dorsum  of  the 
fifth  finger,  for  about  one-third  of  its  length,  is  covered  with  fine 
scattering  hair,  which  in  some  individuals  is  not  confined  thereto 
2 


18 


NORTH  AMERICAN  RATS. 


but  extends  between  the  fourth  and  fifth  fingers.  The  basal  joint 
of  the  thumb  is  decorated  with  a whitish  tuft.  The  posterior 
surface  of  the  interfemoral  is  very  thickly  covered  over  its  whole 
area  with  fur  of  the  same  color  as  that  of  the  body. 

The  difference  in  hue  of  the  various  individuals  is  chiefly  owing 
to  the  coloration  of  the  tips  of  the  hair.  Each  hair  is  tinged  as 
follows : — 

The  base  dark  plumbeous  in  color,  verging  to  black  ; the  centre, 
a delicate  yellowish-brown,  passing  onwards  toward  the  tip  to  a 
darkish  red,  in  some  instances  to  a brighter  red,  more  rarely  to  a 
beautiful  chocolate.  The  point  is  generally  white.  The  grayish 
chocolate  and  dark  red  varieties  are  the  principal  ones  seen  in 
the  northern  specimens,  while  the  bright  red  prevails  among 
those  of  warmer  sections  of  the  country. 

The  hair  covering  the  interfemoral  membrane  before  and  behind 
is  indistinctly  bi-colored ; the  irregular  growths  scattered  else- 
where upon  the  alar  membranes  are  unicolored. 

The  color  of  the  membranes  is  a rich  brown,  bordering  on  a 
yellowish-brown,  about  the  head.  The  ears  and  lips  are  marked 
with  yellow  in  the  same  manner  as  in  the  next  species  (L. 
cinereus)  they  are  marked  with  black. 


Fig.  15.  Fig.  16. 


Skull  small ; occiput  high  ; cranium  broad. 

Dentition. 

Molars  JL  . Canines  — . Incisors  — . Canines  — . MolarsA  = 32  teeth. 
5 16  15 

Upper  Jaw. — Incisors  small,  strongly  convergent ; canines 
simple.  First  premolar  very  minute,  entirely  hidden  from  view 
externally  by  the  close  position  of  the  second  premolar  to  the 
canine ; molars  not  peculiar  except  the  last,  which  is  small  and 
thin,  compressed  from  before  backwards. 

Lower  Jaw. — Incisors  crowded  ; canines  pointing  backwards. 


LASIURUS. 


19 


First  and  second  premolars  distinct ; first  smaller  than  second, 
which  leans  toward  the  canine,  and  its  axis,  if  produced,  would 
touch  it.  Other  molars  as  usual. 

I regret  that  my  material  will  not  allow  me  to  decide  the  in- 
teresting question  whether  this  species  really  occurs  in  South 
America.  My  most  southern  specimens  come  from  the  Rio 
Grande,  Texas,  and  Cape  St.  Lucas — no  difference  being  observed 
between  them  and  the  more  northern  individuals. 

Dr.  J.  E.  Gray  (Zool.  Proc.,  1862,  143)  gives  a notice  of  a 
Lasiurian  bat  from  the  Sandwich  Islands  which  he  asserts  to  be 
the  L.  Grayii,  Tomes.  This  fact  is  of  interest,  since  it  proves 
that  the  same  species  may  have  a distribution  from  the  Sandwich 
Islands  to  Chili,  where  Mr.  Tomes’  specimen  was  collected. 

According  to  Dr.  Gray,  loc.  cit.,  there  is  a specimen  labelled 
L.  Grayii,  Tomes,  in  the  British  Museum,  from  Nisqually,  Straits 
of  J uan  de  Fuca.  I have,  however,  never  met  with  any  bat  in 
North  America  answering  to  Mr.  Tomes’  description. 


Fig.  17. 


20 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


Measurements. 


Current 
| number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

Length  of 

forearm. 

Length  of 

tibia. 

Length  of 

longest  finger. 

Length  of 

thumb. 

Height  of 

ear. 

Height  of 

tragus. 

Expanse. 

Nature  of 

specimen. 

5266 

1.9 

2.0 

1.9 

0.9 

3.3 

0.4j 

0.4 

0 2 

10.9 

5267 

1.9 

2.0 

1.6 

0.9 

3.5 

0-4.V 

0.6 

0.3 

12.0 

67 

2.0 

1.9 

1.6 

0.9 

3.0 

0.4 

0.5 

0.3 

11.6  . 

2.0 

1.9 

1.6 

0.9 

3.5 

0.4j 

0.4 

0.3 

12.0 

2 0 

1.9 

1.5 

0.9 

2.9 

0.4 

0.5 

0.3 

11.0 

2.0 

1.9 

1.6 

0.9 

3.0 

0.4| 

0.4 

0.3 

11.0 

List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

Specimens. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Spec’n. 

5242 

1 

Muskeeget  Isl.,  Mass. 

Dr.  T.  M.  Brewer. 

In  alcohol. 

5243 

2 

Wethersfield,  Conn. 

Charles  Wright. 

46 

5245 

2 

Mt.  Holly,  N.  J. 

Dr.  Brown. 

it 

61SS-90 

3 

Carlisle,  Pa. 

S.  F.  Baird. 

it 

5244 

17 

Carlisle,  Pa. 

S.  F.  Baird. 

ti 

5540 

2 

Ann  Arundel  Co.,  Md. 

J.  H.  Clark. 

it 

5247-8 

2 

Washington,  D.  C. 

National  Institute. 

it 

5246 

i 

Washington,  D.  C. 

Dr.  Nichols. 

it 

5257 

3 

Columbus,  Ga. 

Dr.  Gesner. 

it 

5256 

5 

Liberty  Co.,  Ga. 

Dr.  W.  L.  Jones. 

it 

5263 

1 

Tallahassee,  Fla. 

T.  Glover. 

it 

5314 

1 

Micanopy,  Fla. 

Dr.  J.  B.  Bean. 

it 

5260 

2 

Eutaw,  Ala. 

Prof.  Winchell. 

ti 

5259 

1 

Washington,  Miss. 

Col.  B.  L.  C.  Wailes. 

a 

5252 

1 

Washington,  Miss. 

Col.  B.  L C.  Wailes. 

it 

6253 

1 

Monticello,  Miss. 

Miss  H.  Teunison. 

5464 

1 

Columbus,  Miss. 

Dr.  Spillman. 

Dry  skin. 

5261 

2 

Tyree  Springs,  Tenn. 

Prof.  R.  Owen. 

In  alcohol. 

5262 

2 

Knoxville,  Tenn. 

Prof.  Mitchell. 

it 

5274 

1 

Grand  Coteau,  La. 

St.  Charles  College. 

ti 

5270 

1 

Prairie  Mer  Rouge,  La. 

James  Fairie.  [U.S.  A. 

it 

5253 

1 

Ft.  Towson,  Ark. 

Dr.  L.  A.  Edwards, 

it 

5254 

2 

Ft.  Smith,  Ark. 

Dr.  G.  C.  Shuruard. 

it 

5256 

3 

Red  River,  Ark.  ? 

? 

ii 

5251 

1 

Cass  Co.,  Mo. 

Dr.  P.  R Hoy. 

it 

5463 

1 

Missouri. 

Dr.  P.  R.  Hoy. 

Dry  skin. 

5250 

14 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Dr.  G.  Engelmann. 

In  alcohol. 

4215 

1 

Neosho  Falls,  Kansas. 

B.  F.  Goss. 

Dry  skin. 

5249 

6 

Illinois. 

R.  Kennicott. 

5460 

1 

Cook  Co.,  111. 

R.  Kennicott. 

5457 

1 

Racine,  Wis. 

Dr.  P.  R.  Hoy. 

5459 

1 

Albion,  Mich. 

R.  R.  Child. 

5456 

1 

Grosse  Isl.,  Mich. 

Rev.  Charles  Fox. 

5466 

1 

Lake  Superior. 

? 

5458 

1 

Yellow  Stone  River. 

Dr.  F.  Y.  Hayden. 

5461 

1 

Yellow  Stone  River. 

Col.  Vaughan. 

In  alcohol. 

5265 

1 

Nebraska. 

Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper. 

5264 

1 

Laramie  Peak,  Neb.  ' 

Dr.  Hayden. 

5273 

1 

Cimarron  River,  Kans. 

J.  H.  Clark. 

1 1 

5269 

1 

Pecos  River,  Tex. 

Capt.  J.  Pope. 

i c 

5272 

3 

Bet.  Laredo  & Camargo, 

Arthur  Schott. 

5277 

5 

Matamoras.  [Tex. 

Lt.  Couch.  (Berl.Col.) 

it 

5268 

1 

Fort  Bliss,  N.  Mex. 

Do.  8*  W.  Crawford. 

5266 

1 

Fort  Tejon,  Cal. 

John  Xantus. 

5267 

1 

Cape  St.  Lucas. 

John  Xantus. 

5273 

1 

Rock  Creek? 

W.  S.  Wood. 

i i 

5279 

1 

Locality  unknown. 

? 

5275 

1 

? 

ti 

6185-7 

3 

“ “ 

? 

u 

5271 

1 

“ “ 

? 

it 

5541 

1 

W.  L.  Le  Due. 

a 

a 

LASIURUS. 


21 


Lasiurus  cinereus,  Allen. 

The  Hoary  Bat. 

Fig.  18.  Fig.  19. 


Vespertilio  cinereus , Palisot  de  Beauvois,  Cat.  Peale’s  Mus.  Phila.  1796, 
14. — Leconte,  Proc.  Phila.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  1855,  433. 

Vespertilio  pruinosus,  Say,  Long’s  Exp.  to  Rky.  Mts.  1823,  67. — Harlan, 
Fauna  Amer.  1825,  21. — Ib.,  Med.  and  Phys.  Researches,  1831,  28. — 
Godman,  Amer.  Nat.  Hist.  1826,  68,  pi.  ii,  f.  3. — Richardson,  Fauna 
Bor.  Amer.  1829,  1. — Cooper,  Ann.  Lyc.  N.  York,  IY,  1837,  54. — 
DeKay,  Nat.  Hist.  N.  York  (Zool.),  1842,  7,  pi.  ii,  f.  2. 

Scotophilus  pruinosus,  Gray,  Mag.  Zool.  and  Bot.  II,  1838,  498. 

Nycticejus  pruinosus , Temm.  Monog.  Mam.  1835,  154. — Wagner’s  Schreb. 
Saug.  (Suppl.)  I,  1840,  544. — Ib.  V,  1855,  770. — Schinz,  Syn.  Mam. 
I,  1845,  197.— Max  Pr.  Wied,  Archiv  Naturg.  1861,  185. 

Lasiurus  pruinosus , Tomes,  Proc.  Zool.  Soc.  Lond.  1857,  37. 

Description. — Head  large,  flat  and  hairy.  Sides  of  the  face 
somewhat  inflated,  the  tips  slightly  whiskered.  Nostrils  wide 
apart,  snout  rather  high,  emarginated.  Lower  lip  with  smooth, 
naked  space  anteriorly.  Ears  broad  as  high,  of  a roundish 
form  with  large  internal  lobe,  which  lies  close  to  the  head  and 
nearly  covering  the  eyes  and  approaching  closely  the  external 
inferior  lobe.  The  internal  border  is  markedly  convex : in  some 
specimens  slightly  emarginate  at  its  tip — the  external  border  being 
thinner  than  the  internal,  less  convex  and  somewhat  irregular 
in  outline.  The  basal  external  lobe  is  very  conspicuous  and 
abrupt,  with  obtuse  summit,  and  terminates  on  a line  with  the 
posterior  angle  of  the  eye.  The  tragus  is  broad,  inner  border 
straight ; tip  blunt,  curved  inwards  ; external  border  longer  than 
internal,  convex,  upper  two  thirds  convex  the  lower.  The  ears  are 
black  on  the  borders,  rather  extensively  haired  without,  to  a less 
extent  within — the  extreme  border  being  naked.  The  tragus  is 
slightly  haired  in  front. 


22 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


The  fur  is  everywhere  soft  and  thick ; anteriorly  less  thick 
than  posteriorly,  and  tinged  as  follows : neck,  beneath  the  ears 
and  lower  jaw,  of  a faded  yellow  color ; the  breast  of  a dark 
fawn,  tipped  conspicuously  with  white  — a mixture  of  these 
two  colors,  producing  a dirty  cinereous  tinge  towards  the 
axillae.  The  abdomen  is  of  a more  uniform  color,  the  fawn  hue 
predominating  over  the  cinereous.  Posteriorly  the  fur  is  longer, 
more  luxuriant  and  variegated.  The  head  and  posterior  surface 
of  the  ears  are  of  the  same  yellowish  hue  as  the  anterior  portion 
of  neck.  Below  these  points  the  hair  is  everywhere  of  a rich 
brownish  chocolate,  or  umber  smoky  fawn  color,  tipped  with 
white.  This  contrast  of  color  gives  the  animal  a very  brilliant 
appearance,  and  has  suggested  for  it  the  name  of  “hoary  bat,” 
by  which  it  is  generally  known. 

The  fur  upon  the  membranes  has  a distribution  similar  to  that 
in  L.  noveboracensis.  Anteriorly  it  extends  in  a wide  band  to  the 
third  finger  upon  the  interbrachial  membrane,  and  covers  in  one- 
third  of  the  surface  of  the  interfemoral  membrane.  Posteriorly 
this  membrane,  together  with  the  dorsum  of  the  foot,  is  entirely 
haired.  The  fur  has  not  generally  an  extensive  distribution  upon 
the  wing  membranes,  though  in  not  a few  individuals  I have  found 
this  tendency  marked.  A small  patch  of  fur  is  seen  at  the  base 
of  the  thumb  and  fifth  finger. 

Each  hair  upon  the  body  has  four  colors,  with  the  exception 
of  the  regions  about  the  head  and  belly  where  it  has  but  two. 
The  coloration  is  as  follows  : Base  plumbeous  black;  next  to  this 
a dingy  yellowish-brown  ; sub-tip  is  of  the  same  hue  as  base  ; the 
tip  being  pure  white. 

The  proportion  of  the  basal  color  and  the  white  tip  is  con- 
stant, but  the  other  shades  are  variable.  Thus  upon  the  back 
of  the  neck  is  the  light  yellowish  shade  above  mentioned,  while 
the  proportion  of  the  plumbeous  is  scarcely  noticeable.  But  the 
latter  color  gradually  increases  while  the  former  decreases  as  the 
fur  extends  downwards  until  upon  the  loins  the  preponderance 
of  the  darker  shade  with  an  intermingling  of  umber  brown  is 
very  marked.  Upon  the  interfemoral  membrane,  posteriorly,  the 
fur  partakes  of  the  same  hue,  tipped  with  grayish-white  ; that 
anteriorly  has  a fawn  colored  base  with  lighter  tips. 


LASIURUS. 


23 


The  shoulder  tuft  is  inconspicuous  ; on  the  membrane  above  the 
elbow  there  is  a small  whitish  spot  of  hair. 

Membranes  very  ample.  Thumb  large.  Foot  moderate. 


Fig.  20. 


L.  ciuereus. 


Slcull. — Broad  and  high.  Palate  sloped  considerably  back- 
wards. 


Dentition. 

5 12  15 

Molars — . Canines  — Incisors — Canines — . Molars 32  teeth. 

5 1 6 1 5 

Upper  Jaw. — Incisors  stout,  short,  wide  apart.  Canines  large 
and  simple.  First  premolar  very  minute,  wedged  in  between 
the  canine  and  second  premolar,  which  is  large  and  pointed. 
Last  molar  compressed  antero-posteriorly. 

Lower  Jaw. — Incisors  bifid,  but  not  much  crowded.  Canines 
with  a small  anterior  cusp.  Molars  as  usual,  first  smaller  than 
second,  which  is  not  inclined  so  much  anteriorly  as  in  the  pre- 
ceeding  species. 

This  species,  since  the  date  of  Mr.  Say’s  description,  has 
generally  been  known  as  V.  pruinosus,  until  Major  Leconte 
claimed  for  M.  Palisot  de  Beauvois  the  priority  of  the  name 
V.  cinereus,  as  described  by  him  in  the  Catalogue  of  Peale’s 
Mus.,  Phila.,  as  early  as  1196.  This  very  rare  pamphlet  had 
evidently  been  overlooked  by  Mr.  Say,  and  having  been  so  fortu- 
nate as  to  find  a copy  in  the  library  of  the  Phila.  Academy  I have 
no  doubt  that  the  description  of  Palisot  de  Beauvois  is  intended 
to  apply  to  the  species  now  under  consideration.1 


1 See  Appendix. 


24 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


Dr.  J.  E.  Gray,  in  Cat.  of  Mammalia,  1862,  49,  has  given 
Bolivia,  S.  A.,  as  a locality  for  L.  cinereus,  but  with  perhaps 
insufficient  authority. 


Measurements. 


Current 

number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

Length  of 
forearm. 

o 

br.£ 
fl  Tl 
<x>  -*-* 

Length  of 

longest  finger. 

Length  of 

thumb. 

1 

Height  of 

ear. 

Height  of 

tragus. 

Expanse. 

5280 

3.0 

2.4 

2.0 

1.0 

4.3 

0.6 

0.6 

0.4 

15.3 

14  (?) 

3.0 

2.5 

2.2 

1.0 

4.1 

0.7 

0.6± 

0.4 

14.9 

147 

2.6 

1.8 

2.0 

0.11 

4.0 

0.6 

0.4 

0.3 

13.4 

3255 

2.0 

1.0 

4.1 

0.6 

0.4 

0.3 

12.6 

40 

3.0 

2.0 

2.0 

0.10 

4.2 

0.6 

0.4 

0.4 

13.6 

4213 

2.6 

2.0 

2.0 

0.10 

4.2 

0.6 

13.6 

4728 

2.0 

0.8 

3.9 

0.7 

0.3£ 

0.3 

11.6 

269 

2.0 

2.0 

2.0 

0.11 

4.0 

0.6 

0.3 

0.2§ 

12.6 

3098 

2.0 

2.0 

0.10 

4.0 

0.7 

0.4 

0.2^ 

1743 

2.0 

2.0 

2.0 

0.10 

3.8 

0.6 

0.4 

0.3 

10.0 

73 

2.6 

2.0 

2.0 

0.12 

4.0 

0.6 

0.4 

0.3 

12.0 

93 

3.0 

2.0 

0.11 

4.0 

0.6 

0.4 

11.6 

873 

2.6 

2.0 

2.0 

0.11 

4.0 

0.6 

0.4 

0.3 

12  6 

883 

2.6 

2.0 

2.0 

0.12 

4.1 

0.6 

0.4 

0.3 

14.0 

415 

2.6 

2.0 

2.0 

0.10 

4.0 

0.6 

0.4 

0.3 

14.0 

List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Specimen. 

5280 

1 

Halifax,  N.  S. 

Dr.  Gilpin. 

Alcoholic, 

6184 

1 

British  America. 

R.  Kennicott. 

5286 

1 

Red  River  settlem. 

D.  Gunn. 

<< 

5417 

1 

Cleveland,  O. 

Dr.  Kirtland. 

Dry. 

5421 

1 

Little  Blue,  Kansas. 

W.  S.  Wood. 

52S1 

2 

St.  Louis.  Mo, 

Dr.  G.  Engeimann. 

Alcoholic. 

5283 

1 

Grand  Coteau,  La. 

St.  Charles  College. 

5328 

2 

Ft.  Pierre,  Neb. 

D.  J.  Evans. 

5284 

2 

Near  Ft.  Union,  Neb. 

Dr.  Hayden. 

5422 

1 

Ft.  Pierre,  Neb. 

Dry. 

4213 

1 

Neosho  Falls,  Kans. 

B.  F.  Goss. 

5415 

1 

South  Fork  Platte. 

F.  V.  Hayden,  M.  D. 

3768 

1 

La  Boule  River,  Utah. 

? [U.  S.  A.  (?) 

5414 

1 

Donana,  N.  M. 

Dr.  T.  C.  Henry, 

5282 

5 

Matamoras. 

Lt.  Couch,  Berl.  Coll. 

Alcoholic, 

4728 

1 

“U.  S.” 

Dry. 

52S6 

2 

Monterey,  Cal. 

A.*S.  Taylor. 

Alcoholic. 

5287 

1 

Petaluma,  Cal. 

E.  Samuels. 

“ 

LASIURUS. 


25 


Lasiurus  intermedins,  Allen. 
Fig.  21.  Fig.  22. 


L.  intermedius,  Allen,  Proc.  Phila.  Acad.  Nat.  Sciences,  1862,  146. 

Description. — Head  large,  flat,  hairy.  Snout  high,  emargi  • 
nate,  and  of  a brown  color.  Nostrils  opening  sublaterally.  Sides 
of  face  moderately  inflated.  Month  and  lower  jaw  fringed 
slightly  with  short  hair.  Small  naked  space  at  mentum.  Ears 
high,  elliptical,  pointed,  and  nearly  naked — strongly  convex  on 
their  inner  border,  nearly  straight  on  their  outer — the  lobe  at  the 
base  of  the  outer  border  well  developed.  The  tragus  similar  in 
shape  to  that  of  L.  cinereus,  but  has  a blunter  incurved  tip  ; it 
is  slightly  haired  on  facial  surface.  Eyes  diminutive,  placed  near 
the  ear.  Thumb  rather  small.  Feet  moderate. 

Fur  not  so  extensive  as  in  other  species  of  the  genus,  posteriorly 
extending  upon  the  wing  membrane  from  body,  as  in  L.  cinereus 
— running  down  the  interfemoral  membrane  but  two-thirds 
the  distance  and  on  to  the  foot ; a very  small  brownish  tuft  is 
seen  at  base  of  thumb,  and  on  the  membrane  at  and  above  the 
elbow,  while  the  fourth  and  fifth  fingers  are  naked.  Anteriorly 
the  hair  spreads  up  under  the  arm  to  wrist  as  in  other  species, 
but  less  thickly.  It  also  runs  down  a little  way  upon  the  inter- 
femoral, and  is  observable  upon  the  interbrachial  membrane.  The 
wing  membrane  extends  to  base  of  toes.  The  calcaneum  is 
moderately  developed. 

General  hue  olive  brown.  Hairs  blackish  at  base,  dirty  brown 
at  centre,  with  a clearer  tip.  The  color  is  somewhat  darker 
behind  than  in  front. 


26 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


Dentition. 

Molars—.  Canines  Incisors—.  Canines  Molars  — —30  teeth. 

5 1 6 1 5~ 

The  small  premolar  placed  behind  the  canine  of  the  upper  jaw 
of  L.  cinereus  and  L.  noveboracensis  is  here  absent. 

This  species  in  size,  physiognomy,  number  of  incisors,  and 
character  of  the  distribution  of  the  fur  resembles  the  type  of 
Lasiurus,  while  in  shape  of  the  ears  and  disposition  of  molars  it 
is  akin  to  Scotophilus.  The  interfemoral  membrane  is  scarcely 
more  hairy  than  in  S.  noctivagans,  yet  the  entire  contour  of  the 
animal  is  strongly  Lasiurian.  It  is  intermediate  between  L. 
grayi , Tomes,  and  L.  cinereus,  Pal.  de  Beauvois.  It  is  larger 
than  L.  grayi , and  smaller  than  the  majority  of  specimens  of  L. 
cinereus;  the  thumb  is  small  as  in  the  former,  but  the  wing  mem- 
brane extends  to  the  base  of  toes  as  in  the  latter ; it  is  distinct 
from  both  in  the  brown  fur,  in  the  high  ear  and  the  scantiness 
of  the  hair  on  the  interfemoral  membrane. 


Measurements. 


c 3 
r 3 

3 23 
o 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

Length  of 
forearm. 

Length  of 
tibia. 

Length  of 
longest  finger. 

Length  of 
thumb. 

Height  of 
ear. 

O oi 

£ ! 
be  =e 
'5  -*-* 

Expanse. 

c 3 

9 '3 

Z CD 

05  “ 

o:32S 

3.0 

2*6 

2 2 

0.11 

4.0 

0.5 

0. 7* 

0.3 

13.0 

Alcoholic. 

613o 

2.3 

2.2 

2.1 

0.11 

4.0 

0.4* 

0.7 

0.2* 

13.6 

613S 

2 9 

2.7 

2.1 

0.11 

4.1 

0.4* 

0.6? 

0.3 

15.9 

6137 

2.6 

2 2 

2.1 

0 11 

4.1 

0.5 

0.6* 

0.3 

13.3 

6139 

2.6 

2.0 

1.9 

0 8 

3.6 

0.5 

0.7 

0.3 

*12.0 

6140 

2 5 

2.0 

2.0 

0 11 

4 0 

0.3 

0.7* 

0.3 

12.6 

2.5 

2.0 

2.0 

0.9 

2.6 

0.5 

0.6 

0.3 

13.0 

List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Spec’n. 

3328 

1 

Matamoras,  Mex. 

Lt.  Couch,  U.S.  A. 

(Berl.  Coll.) 

Alcoholic. 

6135 

1 

4 < 

<<  «4 

6136 

1 

tl 

H U 

6137 

1 

it 

<<  It 

u 

6138 

1 

u 

U it 

6139 

1 

It 

it  it 

u 

6140 

1 

u 

it  it 

SCOTOPHTLUS. 


SCOTOPHILUS,  Leach. 


Scotophilus , Leach,  Trans.  Linn.  Soc.  Lond.  XIII,  1822, 71.  (Type  S.  kuhlii.) 
Vesperus , Keyserling  & Blasius,  Wirbel-Thiere  Europas,  1840,  49. 
Vesperugo,  Keyserling  & Blasius,  Wirbel-Tliiere  Europas,  1840,  45. 

Molars  less  than  § ; head  flat,  broad ; lips  swollen ; tragus 
bluntish  ; internal  basal  lobe  of  ear  rounded,  obtuse. 

Fig.  23. 


The  genus  Scotophilus  is  closely  allied  to  Vespertilio  and 
differs  chiefly  from  it  in  the  heaviness  of  its  wing  membranes,  and 
in  the  thick  leathery  ear  and*  tragus,  which  possess  a tendency 
to  develop  in  width  rather  than  in  height.  The  distinction 
between  these  genera  is  really  difficult  to  describe,  though  readily 
recognizable  upon  observation.  The  difference  between  their 
facial  expression  might  be  compared  to  that  between  a mastiff 
and  terrier  dog : the  former  is  massive  with  broad  head,  pendulous 
lips  and  wide  ears ; the  latter  is  more  slender,  with  a narrower 
face  and  delicate  and  upright  ears. 

The  type  of  the  genus  Scotophilus  of  Leach  is  his  S.  kuhlii , 
described  without  reference  to  any  previous  author,  and  without 
indication  of  habitat.  It  is  impossible  to  say,  therefore,  whether 
he  refers  to  the  Vespertilio  kuhlii  of  Natterer  (1819),  a European 
species,  or  whether  he  applied  the  name  to  a second  and  different 
species.  As  however  the  diagnosis  appears  not  incongruous  with 
the  European  kuhlii , and  as  this  was  probably  known  to  him  at 
the  time,  we  may  adopt  the  former  supposition.  This  species 
falls  in  the  genus  Vesperugo  of  Keyserling  & Blasius. 

It  is  not  a little  remarkable  that  the  paper  of  Leach,  in  which 


I 


28  NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 

the  genus  Scotophilus  is  described,  should  have  apparently  escaped 
the  attention  of  Continental  authors ; to  such  a degree,  indeed, 
that  they  credit  the  genus  to  Gray  as  of  1842, 1 and  consequently 
subsequent  to  Vesperugo  of  Keyserling  & Blasius,  instead  of 
being  long  prior  to  it.  I have  found  no  reference  in  any  of  the 
standard  European  authors  to  the  species  Scotophilus  kuhlii  of 
Leach,  except  by  Tomes,  as  in  Pr.  Zool.  Soc.,  1861,  35,  etc. 

The  following  is  the  arrangement  of  the  species : — 

a.  (Vesperus,  Keys.  & Blasius.)  Central  incisors  larger  than  lateral; 

upper  molars  4 ; base  of  foot  with  rounded  swelling — 

Ears  sub-erect  . . . . . . S.  carolinensis. 

Ears  turned  outwards  .....  S.fuscus. 

b,  (Vesperugo,  Keys.  & Blasius.)  Central  incisors  equal  to  the  lateral ; 

upper  molars  5 ; base  of  foot  without  rounded  swelling — 

n ( Tragus  slender,  erect  S.  qeorqianus. 

Central  incisor  bicuspid  < ° ^ 

( Tragus  thick,  obtuse  S.  noctivagans. 

Central  incisor  unicuspid  . . . . S.  hesperus. 


Scotophilus  carolinensis,  Geoff. 

The  Carolina  Bat. 

Fig.  24.  Fig.  25. 


Vespertilio  carolinensis , Geoff.  St.  Hilaire,  Ann.  du  Mus.  VIII,  1806,  193, 
pi.  xlvii,  f.  7. — Harlan,  Fauna  Amer.  1825,  9. — Godman,  Amer.  Nat. 
Hist.  1826,  67. — Leconte,  Cuv.  An.  King.  (McMurtrie)  I,  1831,  431. 
— Harlan,  Month.  Amer.  Jour.  Geol.  and  Nat.  Sc.  I,  1831,  218. — Ib., 
Med.  and  Phy.  Research.  1831,  28.— Cooper,  Ann.  Lyceum  N.  H.,  N.  Y. 


1 Ann.  and  Mag.  N.  H.,  X,  1842,  257. 


SCOTOPHILUS. 


29 


IV,  1837,  60.—  DeKay,  Nat.  Hist.  N.  Y.  (Zool.),  1842,  10,  pi.  ii,  f.  1.— 
Desm.  Mam.  1820,  136. — Temminck,  Monog.  II,  1835,  237. — Leconte, 
Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.,  1855,434. — Wagner,  Schreb.  Saug.  V,  1855,  753. 

Description. — Head  flat ; nostrils  emarginated  ; ear  not  quite 
as  long  as  the  head,  broad  at  base,  obtusely  rounded  at  tip  ; 
tragus  straight  on  the  inner  side,  slightly  convex  on  the  outer, 
nearly  half  the  height  of  the  auricle  and  notched  at  the  outer 
lower  part.  The  inferior  anterior  part  does  not  reach  the  angle 
of  the  mouth.  Nostrils  rather  large,  separated  by  an  emarginate 
space.  Tip  of  tail  exserted. 

Hair  uniformly  bicolored,  except  on  the  ears  and  margins  of 
the  body ; on  the  back  it  is  dark  plumbeous  at  base,  the  upper 
half  varying  from  dusky  cinereous  to  dark  brown.  On  the  head 
the  hair  is  more  lanuginous  and  thickly  set ; it  covers  half  the 
posterior  part  of  the  ears,  and  runs  on  almost  to  the  nose ; in  the 
latter  portion  it  is  longer,  and  bicolored,  as  in  the  back. 

Fur  on  the  under  surface  lighter  than  on  the  upper.  A light 
brown  tinge  tips  each  hair — the  lower  two-thirds  being  dark  cine- 
reous, verging  to  black.  As  the  hair  in  front  approaches  the 
head  it  also  becomes  woolly  like  that  on  the  back,  and  has  a 
tendency  to  assume  one  color.  This  appearance  terminates  at 
the  anterior  inferior  border  oMhe  ear. 

Interfemoral  membrane  ample  ; basal  fifth  furred  posteriorly, 
faintly  dotted  with  minute  tufts  of  hair  elsewhere.  Terminal 
joint  of  tail  exserted.  Wing  membrane  attached  to  base  of  toes. 
In  many  specimens  the  calcaneum  is  well  developed. 


Fig.  26. 


Scotophilus  carolinensis.  (Magnified.) 


Skull. — The  skull  is  large,  and  slightly  crested  behind. 


30 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


Dentition. 

4 14  14 

Molars  — . Canines  — . Incisors  — Canines  — . Molars = 32  teeth. 

5 16  15 

Upper  Jaw. — The  central  incisors  are  large,  converging, 
irregularly  bifid — the  internal  cusp  being  the  longer  ; the  laterals 
not  more  than  one-third  the  length  of  the  centrals.  Canines 
unicuspid,  with  minute  basal  cusps.  First  molar  narrower  than 
the  other  three,  answering  to  the  third  premolar  of  Vespertilio. 

Lower  Jaw.  — Incisors  6,  trifid,  crowded.  Canines  large, 
simple.  Molars  5,  the  first  two  smaller  and  simple,  increasing  in 
size  from  the  canines.  Molars  proper  not  peculiar. 

I feel  some  hesitation  in  separating  S.  carolinensis  from  S. 
fuscus.  They  may  yet  prove  to  be  the  same,  in  which  case  S. 
carolinensis  must  be  considered  a synonym  of  S.  fuscus. 


Measurements. 


Current 

number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
| tail. 

Length  of 
forearm. 

Length  of 
tibia. 

Length  of 
longest  finger. 

Length  of 
thumb. 

Height  of 
ear. 

Height  of 
tragus. 

Expanse. 

Nature  of 
j specimen. 

1 

2.2 

1 8 

1.8 

0.7 

3.0 

0.4 

0.6 

0.2 

12.0 

Dry. 

4214 

2.6 

1.6 

1 9 

0.7 

3.0 

0.4 

0.6 

0.3 

10.0 

4732 

2.3 

1.6 

1.9 

0 7 

3 0 

0.4 

0.7 

0.3 

10.0 

75 

2 5 

1.7 

1.9 

0.7 

3 0 

0.4 

0.7 

0.3 

? 

5135 

2.4 

1.6 

1.8 

0 7 

3.0 

0.4 

0.6 

0.3 

? 

“ 

List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Specimen. 

5521 

1 

Carlisle,  Pa. 

S.  F.  Baird. 

Dry. 

5135 

1 

Washington,  I).  C. 

“ “ 

“ 

4211 

1 

Neosho  Falls. 

B.  F.  Goss. 

“ 

55 13 

5 

Nebraska. 

Dr.  Cooper. 

Alcoholic. 

4732 

1 

“U.  S.” 

Maj.  Leconte. 

Dry. 

5542 

1 

C.  Girard. 

Alcoholic. 

SCOTOPHILUS. 


31 


Scotopiiilus  fuscus,  Palisot  be  Beauyois. 
The  Brown  Bat. 

Fig.  27.  Figc  28. 


Vespertilio  fuscus,  Palisot  de  Beauv.  Cat.  Peale’s  Mus.  1796, 14. — Leconte, 
Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Phila.  1855,  437. 

Vespertilio  arcuatus,  Say,  Long’s  Exp.  R’ky  Mts.  1823,  167. 

Vespertilio  phaiops,  Raf.  Amer.  Month.  Mag.  1818,  445  (not  Temm.  Monog, 
Mam.  II,  1835,  234). — Leconte,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Phila.  1855, 
437. — Wagner,  Schreb.  Saug.  Y,  1855,  756. 

Vespertilio  ursinus,  Temm.  Monog.  Mam.  II,  1835,  234. — Wagner,  Schreb. 

Saug.  Y,  1855,  756. — Max  Pr.  Wied,  Archiv  Naturg.  1861,  190. 
Vespertilio  gryphus , Fr.  Cuv.,  Ann.  du  Mus.  1, 1837, 15. — Wagner,  Schreb. 
Saug.  V.  1855,  749. 

Vespertilio  caroli,  Leconte  (not  Temm.),  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Phila.  1855, 
437. 

Scotophilus  greeiii  (?)  Gray,  Cat.  Mam.  British  Museum,  1842. 

Description. — Ears  moderate,  leathery,  semi-erect,  turned 
slightly  outwards,  convex  on  the  inner  border,  nearly  straight 
on  the  outer,  in  some  slightly  emarginate  ; the  lower  third  of  this 
portion  is  slightly  revolute  outwards  ; basal  lobe  well  developed, 
Tragus  nearly  half  as  high  as  auricle,  straight  on  inner  border, 
moderately  convex  and  diverging  on  outer ; sometimes  the  tip  is 
more  acute  than  in  other  species,  but  is  never  pointed ; in  some 
specimens  it  has  a very  slight  incurvation. 

The  coloring  is  very  similar  to  S.  carolinensis , being  dark 
plumbeous  at  base,  with  chestnut-brown  tips  above,  and  light 
cinereous,  fawn  russet  brownish  tips  below.  This  coloration 
exhibits  some  slight  differences  in  different  specimens : thus  the 
back  may  be  more  of  a light  russet,  and  that  in  front  more  of  a 
whitish  hue.  The  extent  of  the  plumbeous  is  also  subject  to 
variation,  in  some  specimens  occupying  but  the  lower  third  of  the 
hair  ; while  in  others — and  this  is  more  apt  to  occur  on  the  front — 


32 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


the  tips  only  will  be  of  a different  color.  The  fur  is  soft  and 
long,  running  up  the  back  of  the  ears  one-half  their  height  in 
many  specimens,  in  others  not  more  than  a third  that  distance. 
The  basal  part  of  the  triangular  interfemoral  membrane  behind 
is  hairy,  the  rest  naked.  Calcaneum  weak.  No  extension  of  the 
fur  upon  the  wing  membrane.  Thumb  and  foot  moderate.  Back 
of  foot  very  slightly  haired. 

These  variations  in  the  coloration  of  this  species  enable  the 
observer  to  arrange  the  specimens  into  three  groups  according  to 
the  style  of  coloring  of  the  fur.  Thus  the  1st  group  has  chestnut- 
brown  tips  on  the  back,  with  grayish- white  tips  on  the  belly ; 2d, 
olive-brown  tips  on  back,  with  fawn  russet  tips  on  the  belly,  inter- 
mingled with  whitish ; and  3d,  deep  chestnut-brown  both  above 
and  below,  that  of  the  front  being  but  a shade  lighter  than  that  of 
the  back.  In  the  specimen,  No.  5966,  Williamstown,  Mass.,  the 
tips  of  the  fur  is  everywhere  white  at  the  tip. 

Both  S.  carolinensis  and  fuscus  resemble  S . serotinus  of 
Europe.  The  shape  of  the  ear  and  tragus  are  very  similar,  and 
the  character  of  the  face  and  tumidity  of  lips  the  same  in  all. 
The  latter  species,  however,  is  of  a larger  size  than  the  others, 
and  the  fur  is  almost  entirely  unicolored — that  is,  there  being 
little  or  no  difference  between  the  coloration  of  the  base  and  the 
tip  of  each  hair. 

Dentition , similar  to  that  of  preceding  species. 

Major  Leconte,  in  his  “ Observations  on  the  Bats  of  North 
America,”  claims  the  specific  name  fuscus , for  what  was  formerly 
known  as  the  V.  arcuatus,  Say.  In  my  attempt  to  include  several 
supposed  distinct  forms  under  one  head,  I have  chosen  the  same 
name. 

Palisot  de  Beauvois,  as  early  as  1196,  describes  a species — 
V.  fuscus — in  an  old  pamphlet  catalogue,  which,  being  but  little 
known,  had  received  no  attention  prior  to  Major  Leconte’s 
quotation.  The  description  in  this  forgotten  brochure  does  not 
correspond  very  well  with  that  of  Scotophilus : for  the  number 
of  incisors  in  the  upper  jaw  is  less  than  the  number  actually 
present.  But  this  objection  has  not  the  importance  that  at  first 
sight  it  might  appear  to  possess,  inasmuch  as  the  little  incisor, 
situated  close  to  the  canine,  very  frequently  escapes  observation — 
it  being  almost  completely  hidden  in  the  growth  of  the  adjacent 


SCOTOPHILUS. 


33 


gum.  This  slight  omission  I think  in  nowise  affects  the  diagnosis, 
any  more  than  the  fact  that  the  neglect  of  naturalists  for  a long 
time  to  notice  the  minute  premolar  behind  the  canine  of  the  upper 
jaw  of  L.  cinereus  and  noveboracensis  would  affect  the  identity 
of  those  species. 

Temminck’s  species,  V.  ursinus  and  the  V.  phaiops  of  Rafi- 
nesque,  I consider  to  be  the  same  as  the  one  under  consideration. 
It  would  appear  strange  that  these  two  forms  should  be  united, 
when  the  bicolored  hair  of  the  first,  as  described  by  Temminck, 
would  at  once  separate  it  from  the  unicolored  fur  of  the  second.1 
Major  Leconte  has  indeed  separated  them  ; but  in  the  individuals 
labelled  by  him,  now  before  me,  I have  not  been  successful  in 
observing  any  such  difference  as  those  mentioned  above.  I have, 
therefore,  taken  V.  ursinus  to  be  a true  synonym  of  S.  fuscus, 
and  the  form  mentioned  by  Temminck  as  the  V.  pliaiops , Raf.,  to 
be  a species  that  has  not  been  observed  in  North  America,  and  is 
probably  a member  of  another  fauna. 

In  the  memoir  above  noticed,  Major  Leconte  has  made  a laud- 
able effort  to  identify  the  species,  the  result  of  the  labors  of  Euro* 
ropean  authors,  and  thus  relieve  this  subject  of  its  intricate 
synonomy.  With  this  object  in  view,  he  has  dwelt  upon  and  de- 
veloped points  not  mentioned  by  the  original  describers.  Thus,  in 
speaking  of  the  shape  of  the  outer  border  of  the  ear,  he  says : — 

“ The  fuscus  has  the  ear  somewhat  triangular,  very  concave 
on  the  outer  edge,  and  emarginate  near  the  tip. 

“ The  ursinus  ear  oval,  entire  ; that  is  to  say  not  at  all  emargi- 
nate, the  orillon  acinaciform  and  obtuse. 

“ The  phaiops  ear  somewhat  triangular,  sinuous  or  bi-emargi- 
nate  on  the  outer  edge,  orillon  oblong,  blunt. 

“ The  caroli  has  the  ears  ovate,  emarginate  behind  almost  from 
the  tip  to  the  base,  and  the  orillon  lanceolate,  blunt,  rounded  at 
the  point,  a little  curved  on  the  posterior  edge.” 

While  acknowledging  that  these  differences  may  exist,  I do  not 
consider  them  to  be  constant.  In  a species  so  extensively  dis- 
tributed— and  in  a family  so  well  known  for  its  Protean  tenden- 
cies— as  that  to  which  S.  fuscus  belongs,  slight  and  variable 
changes,  confined  entirely  to  the  parts  of  the  ear,  are  hardly 
sufficient  data  for  4hese  separations. 


3 


1 Vide  Appendix. 


34 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


Had  Major  Leconte  been  an  original  laborer  in  this  field,  and 
the  material  now  before  me  been  at  his  disposal,  I can  scarcely 
believe  that  he  would  have  described  from  it  four  new  species  of 
bats.  He  would  rather  have  looked  upon  the  minute  differences 
above  mentioned  as  of  no  specific  value. 

I may  mention  here  that  V.  caroli,  Temm.,  is  not  a species  of 
Scotophilus — Major  Leconte  being  in  error  respecting  the  denti- 
tion. The  dentition,  according  to  its  describer,  is 

Molars-^-.  Canines  _L.  Incisors  A.  Canines—.  Molars  A = 38  teeth. 
6 16  16 

It  is  very  probably  a true  Vespertilio. 

Fig.  29. 


Measurements. 


.a! 

© 2 

a ^ 

o 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

o S 

T 9 
s .o 
o 

Length  of 
tibia. 

bh 

a 

c t3 

rC  V 

u lc 
SS 

hi 

° JD 

if.  z 

O ^ | 

Height  of 
ear. 

o w 
? 

tf  g 
‘5 

W 

| Expanse. 

1 

1 

! Nature  of 
specimen. 

4731 

2.6 

1.4 

1.9 

0.9 

29 

03 

0 5 

0.2i' 

10  0 

Dry. 

4734 

2.9 

1.5 

1.9 

0.9 

3 0 

0.5 

! 0 6 

0.3 

11.0 

it 

4737 

2.5 

1.5 

l.S 

O.S 

3.0 

0 4 

0.5 

02i 

10.0 

a 

.4739 

2.9 

1.4 

1.8 

09 

3 0 

0 4 

0 7 

0.3 

10.  i 

a 

473 

2.6 

1 4 

1.6 

0 7 

3.0 

•0.4 

0.5 

0 3 

2 

it 

2 

2.7 

1.5 

1.7 

0.8 

3.0 

0.4  I 

0.5 

, 0 3 

11.0 

it 

3137 

2.2 

1.6 

1.9 

0.7 

3.0 

0.4  j 

0 5 

0 3 

9.6 

(t 

537 

2.4 

1.4 

1.6 

0 7 

2.6 

0.3 

0.5 

0 2 h 

2 

it 

424 

3.0 

1.4 

2.9 

O.S 

3.0 

0.4  | 

0.6 

0.3 

10 

a 

SCOTOPHILUS. 


List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

|No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Specimen. 

6192 

1 

Lake  Winnipeg. 

R.  Kennicott. 

Alcoholic. 

5396 

2 

Williamstown,  Mass. 

S.  H.  Scudder. 

44 

5302 

1 

Westport,  N.  Y. 

S.  F.  Baird. 

5301 

1 

Carlisle,  Pa. 

S.  F.  Baird. 

5307 

1 

Washington,  D.  C. 

Col.  Weaver. 

u 

53S1 

1 

Washington,  D.  C. 

T.  R.  Peale. 

a 

5306 

1 

Cleveland,  O. 

Dr.  Kirtland. 

44 

5399 

1 

Mississippi. 

Col.  Wailes. 

a 

5310 

1 

Roane  Co.,  Tenn. 

Prof.  Mitchell. 

a 

5332 

3 

Grand  Coteau,  La. 

St.  Charles  College. 

44 

5311 

1 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Dr.  Geo.  Engelmann. 

a 

5324 

1 

Ft.  Riley,  Kansas. 

Henry  Brandt. 

5328 

7 

Nebraska. 

Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper. 

5315 

1 

Milk  River,  Neb. 

Dr.  Hayden. 

5317 

2 

Ft.  Pierre,  Neb. 

Dr.  J.  Evans. 

a 

5309 

1 

Fort  Towson,  Ark. 

Dr.  Edwards. 

« 

5308 

1 

Fort  Smith,  Ark. 

Dr.  Shumard. 

iC 

3271 

1 

Mo.  of  Poteau  River. 

“ 

« 

6191  var 

1 

Brazos  River,  Tex. 

It 

a 

5320 

1 

Puget  Sound,  W.  T. 

? 

K 

5325 

1 

Carson  Valley,  Nev. 

Capt.  J.  H.  Simpson. 

u 

5326 

1 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 

H.  B.  Mollhauson. 

it 

5.314 

1 

Posa  Creek,  Cal. 

Dr.  Heermann. 

4337 

1 

United  States. 

Major  Leconte. 

4731 

1 

“ “ 

“ 

It 

4739 

1 

“ “ 

4731 

1 • 

it  u 

“ 

5330 

1 

“ “ 

? 

5.344-5 

2 

“ [Cruz,  Mex. 

? 

5411 

1 

El  Mirador,  nearVera 

Dr.  C.  Sartorius. 

Scotopliilus  georgianus,  Allen. 

The  Georgian  Bat. 

Fig.  30.  Fig.  31. 


Vespertilio  georgianus , Fr.  Cuv.  Ann.  dd  Mus.  1832,  16. — Leconte,  Proc. 
Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Phila.  1855,  436. — Wagner,  Schreb.  Saug.  V,  1855, 
750. 

Vespertilio  monticola,  Bachman,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  1841,  92. 

Vespertilio  crassus  (?),  Fr.  Cdv.  Ann.  du  Mus.  1832,  17. 

Vespertilio  salarii  (?),  Fr.  Cuv.  Ann.  du  Mus.  1832,  17. 


36 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


Description. — Head  flat,  but  not  so  heavy  and  thick  as  in 
other  species  of  Scotophilus , moderately  hairy ; sides  of  face 
swollen,  and  studded  with  hair.  Nose  flat,  broad,  naked  ; nostrils 
small,  oblique,  opening  sublaterally.  Sides  of  mouth  very  slightly 
whiskered.  Ears  nearly  naked,  subelliptical,  slightly  convex  on 
the  inner,  nearly  straight  on  the  outer  border,  which  terminates 
near  the  mouth  in  a wart.  Parts  about  the  head  light  brown. 
Tragus  straight,  blunt,  moderately  divergent  on  its  outer  side. 
Thumb  and  feet  large. 

Fur  thick,  long  and  soft.  Color  dark  rufous  brown  on  back, 
brighter  rufous  in  front ; base  of  fur  before  and  behind  dark 
plumbeous.  The  fur  extends  to  upper  third  of  posterior  surface 
of  interfemoral  membrane  : the  anterior  surface  of  which  is  deco- 
rated with  numerous  small  tufts  arranged  transversely.  The  fur 
of.  body  also  extends  a slight  distance  upon  the  anterior  surface 
of  the  wing  membrane.  Wings  reach  to  base  of  toes ; point  of 
tail  slightly  exserted.  Calcaneum  moderate — its  termination 
forms  no  lobe  with  the  interfemoral  membrane. 

No.  7002  (included  in  5297),  a young  specimen,  Carlisle,  Pa., 
is  a variety  with  dark,  faintly  bicolored  fur,  of  a grizzled  olive- 
brown  color. 


Fig.  32. 


S.  georgianus. 


Skull  small,  papery ; flat,  but  less  so  than  in  other  species  of 
Scotophilus.  There  is  a slight  tendency  to  the  shape  of  face 
peculiar  to  Vespertilio. 

Dentition. 

Molars  A.  Canines—.  Incisors  A.  Canines  A.  Molars  _lL_  34  teeth. 
5 16  15 

Upper  Jaw. — The  incisors  placed  as  usual,  and  of  the  same  size. 
The  centrals  of  equal  size  and  so  obscurely  bifid  that  the  lateral 
point  seems  more  like  a basal  cusp.  The  lateral  teeth  cuspid 
and  converging  (there  are  some  examples  of  the  bicuspid  lateral). 
Canines  rather  small,  simple.  First  molar  minute,  unicuspid, 


SCOTOPHILUS. 


but  readily  visible  from  the  outside.  The  second  premolar  re- 
sembles the  corresponding  tooth  in  the  other  species  ; the  remain- 
ing molars  are  not  peculiar. 

Lower  Jaw. — Incisors  trifid,  not  crowded.  Canines  small, 
with  a basal  cusp  on  either  side.  The  premolars  are  rather  small, 
and  have  minute  points  at  their  base,  making  them  appear  as 
though  indistinctly  tricuspid.  Other  molars  as  usual. 

This  species  has  been  but  imperfectly  described  by  the  authors 
above  cited.  Fr.  Cuvier’s  diagnosis  is  quite  incomplete,  and 
would  be  undistinguishable  from  that  of  the  smaller  form  of  V. 
subulatus,  had  it  not  been  that,  from  having  sent  the  author 
the  specimens  from  which  the  description  was  taken,  Major 
Leconte  was  familiar  with  the  type  and  afterwards  gave  a more 
exact  description  of  the  animal  in  the  work  above  cited.  He 
however  was  himself  in  error  in  some  particulars,  especially  in 
making  the  dentition  similar  to  that  of  V.  subulatus,  and  in  assert- 
ing that  the  last  false  molar  of  the  upper  jaw  was  bi-emarginated. 
I have  before  me  a large  series  of  specimens,  some  of  which  have 
Major  Leconte’s  name  attached,  but  in  none  of  them  have  I found 
any  internal  basal  bi-emarginate  cusp  as  described  by  him. 

Dr.  Bachman’s  description  of  V.  monticola  applies  well  to  S. 
georgianus,  excepting  in  the  measurements,  which,  in  the  case  of 
the  ear  and  tragus,  are  entirely  too  small  in  proportion  to  the 
size  of  the  body.  I have  an  alcoholic  specimen,  marked  V.  monti- 
cola, in  the  same  handwriting  as  some  other  specimens  purported 
to  have  been  labelled  by  Dr.  Bachman,  which  is  beyond  doubt 
S.  georgianus — the  ear  and  tragus  being  of  the  usual  size. 


•Measurements. 


Current 
number.  ^ 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail.  f 

Length  of 
forearm. 

Length  of 
tibia. 

Length  of 
longest  finger. 

Length  of 
thumb. 

Height  of 
ear. 

Height  of 
tragus. 

Expanse. 

Nature  of 
specimen. 

529S 

1.8 

1.6 

1.4 

0.6 

2.4 

0 4 

0.5 

0.3 

9.0 

Alcoholic. 

5 297 

1.6 

1.6 

1.4 

0.6 

2.4 

0.4 

0.5 

0.3 

8.9 

<< 

59S1 

1.6 

1.6 

1.4 

0.6 

2 3 

0.4 

0.7 

0 3* 

8.6 

u 

5982 

1.6 

1.5 

! 1.4 

0.6 

2.3 

0.4 

0.6 

0.3 

8.6 

it 

5983 

1.6 

j 15 

1 !-4 

0 7 

2:2 

0.4 

0.5 

0 3 

8.6 

a 

5318 

16 

I 1.6 

1.4 

0.7 

2.3 

0.4 

0.5 

0.3 

9.0 

it 

5339 

1.8 

1.6 

1.3 

0 6 

2.3 

0.4 

0.4* 

0.3 

9.3 

ii 

5340 

1.6 

| 1.5 

1.4 

0 6 

2.2 

0.3 

0.5 

0.3 

9 3 

it 

1.6 

j 1.6 

1 1.3 

0.6 

2.2 

0.3* 

0.5 

0.3 

8 11 

it 

5341 

1.6 

1 "6 

1.3 

0.7 

0.4j 

0.5 

0.3 

8.10 

33 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Spec’n. 

5297 

36 

Carlisle,  Pa. 

S.  F.  Baird. 

In  alcohol. 

5433 

1 

“ 

u <« 

Dry  skin. 

5375 

1 

Washington. 

? 

In  alcohol. 

5298 

1 

“ 

C.  Girard. 

“ 

5440 

1 

Hampshire  Co.,  Va. 

M.  M'Donald. 

Dry  skin. 

5340 

2 

Clark  Co.,  Va. 

Dr.  Kennerly. 

In  alcohol.  , 

5339 

1 

Mount  Vernon. 

? 

“ 

5341 

1 

Whitfield  Co.,  Ga. 

A.  Gerhardt. 

“ 

5442 

1 

Georgia. 

W.  Cooper. 

Dry  skin.  / 

5343 

1 

New  Orleans. 

N.  0.  Acad. 

In  alcohol. 

5401 

1 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Dr.  G.  Engelmann. 

“ 

531 S 

1 

Cairo,  111. 

R.  Kennicott. 

“ 

5360 

1 

Poteau  Creek,  Ai-k. 

Dr.  G.  C.  Shumard. 

“ 

5371 

3 

Matamoras,  Mex. 

Lt.  Couch.  (Berl.Col.) 

“ 

5439 

1 

United  States. 

Major  Leconte. 

Fig.  33. 


S.  georgianus. 


SCOTOPHILUS. 


39 


Scotopliilus  noctivagans,  Leconte. 

The  Silvery -haired  Bat. 

Fig.  34.  Fig.  35. 


Vespertilio  noctivagans,  Leconte,  Cuv.  An.  Kingdom  (McMurtrie  ed.),  I, 
June,  1831,  31. — Cooper,  Ann.  Lyc.  N.  Y.  IV,  1837,  59. — DeKay,  Nat. 
Hist.  N.  Y.  (Zool.),  1842,  9,  pi.  i,  f.  1. — Wagner,  Sclireb.  Saug.  V, 
1855,  754. 

Vespertilio  auduboni,  Harlan,  Month.  Amer.  Jour.  Geol.  Nat.  Hist.  I,  Nov. 

1831,  220,  pi.  ii. — Ib.  Med.  and  Physical  Researches,  1835,  30,  pi.  iv. 
Vespertilio  pulverulentus,  Temm.  Monog.  Mam.  II,  1835,  235. — Leconte,  Proc. 
Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  1855,  436.— Pr.  Wied,  Archiv  Naturg.  1861,  192. 

Description. — Head  flat,  broad,  and  moderately  haired.  Snout 
naked ; nostrils  wide  apart,  and  opening  sublaterally ; space  be- 
tween emarginate.  The  sides  of  the  face  slightly  swollen.  The 
auricle  is  an  irregular  oval.  The  inner  border  ascends  upwards 
and  inwards  to  a level  with  the  top  of  the  head,  and  then  turns 
upwards  and  outwards,  ending  in  an  obtuse  point.  The  outer 
border  is  smooth,  and  terminates  interiorly  and  internally  in  a thin 
ridge  near  the  angle  of  the  mouth.  The  lower  half  of  this  border 
folds  irregularly  upon  itself,  and  bends  so  markedly  inwards  as 
to  touch  the  tragus.  The  tragus  is  straight  internally,  strongly 
and  abruptly  convex  externally — at  its  base  narrow.  It  is  but 
one-third  the  height  of  auricle,  and  nearly  as  broad  as  high.  Skin 
of  face  and  ears  blackish,  with  the  exception  of  the  internal  basal 

lobe  of  the  latter,  which  is  whitish. 

% 

Fur  long  and  silky,  with  a marked  tendency  to  become  black, 
and  in  many  specimens  the  extreme  tip  of  each  hair  is  the  only 
part  possessing  a different  hue — it  being  a pale  gray  or  white. 
The  fur  is  thicker  on  the  back  than  in  front,  but  the  coloration  is 
very  similar  on  both  sides:  if  there  is  any  difference,  it  is  where 
the  shaft  of  the  hair  in  front  assumes  in  some  individuals  a plum- 
beous brown  hue  instead  of  the  blackish.  The  characteristic 
pulverulent  dash  to  the  fur  presents  a striking  appearance,  and 


40 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


has  given  to  this  animal  the  popular  appellation  of  the  Silvery- 
haired  Bat.  The  posterior  part  of  the  interfemoral  membrane 
is  thinly  covered  with  short  dark  colored  hairs:  the  anterior 
surface  has  upon  it  numerous  minute  tufts  arranged  linearly. 
Thumb  small,  slightly  furred ; foot  moderate  and  furred  on  pos- 
terior surface. 


Fig.  36. 


Shull  flat,  not  crested ; two  shallow  depressions  anteriorly. 

Dentition. 

Molars  A.  Canines  JL.  Incisors  A.  Canines  A.  Molars  Jt  _ 36  teeth. 

6 16  16’ 

Upper  Jaw. — Incisors  two  on  either  side  of  the  median  space, 
closely  approximate  to  but  not  touching  canines  ; nearly  of  the 
same  length  ; centrals  bifid,  the  teeth  somewhat  twisted  on  their 
axis  so  that  the  two  cusps  have  something  of  an  antero- 
posterior arrangement;  the  internal  cusp  is  slightly  longer 
than  the  external.  The  laterals  are  unicuspid,  and  have  a basal 
cusp.  The  canines  are  simple  and  moderate.  Of  the  five  molars 
the  first  is  very  small,  unicuspid,  and  crowded  in  between  the 
canine  and  second  premolar — it  is  visible  from  the  outside.  The 
second  premolar  has  an  external  and  internal  cusp — the  external 
longer  than  any  external  point  of  the  molars  proper,  while  the 
internal  is  shorter  than  any  internal  prominence.  The  other  teeth 
as  usual. 

Lower  Jaw. — Incisors  not  crowded,  trifid.  Canines  moderate, 
with  an  anterior  basal  point.  Of  the  three  premolars  the  first  is 
not  so  small  as  the  second,  which  is  about  the  size  of  the  first 
premolar  of  the  upper  jaw ; the  third  is  about  the  height  of  the 
molars  proper,  and  is  simple.  The  other  teeth  as  usual. 


SCOTOPHILUS. 


41 


This  species  was  described  by  Major  Leconte  and  Dr.  Harlan 
in  the  same  year ; but  the  description  by  the  latter  gentleman 
appeared  five  months  subsequent  to  the  former.  Vide  Cooper, 
loe.  cit.  Temminck’s  account  followed  the  original  description 
five  years  ; he  obtained  his  specimens  from  the  Prince  Max.  Wied. 
I cannot  learn  upon  what  ground  Major  Leconte,  in  his  “ Obser- 
vations,” employed  Temminck’s  specific  name  and  discarded  his 
own.  It  no  doubt  had,  so  far  as  I can  judge  from  given  data, 
the  undisputed  priority. 

S.  noctivagans  bears  some  resemblance  to  S.  discolor , Kuhl,  a 
European  species.  The  shapes  of  ear  and  tragus,  the  color  of 
membranes,  the  powdered  fur,  and  the  haired  interfemoral  mem- 
brane are  common  to  both  ; but  in  S.  noctivagans  the  color  of  the 
hair  is  blackish  instead  of  brown,  and  the  dentition  is  different  in 
many  particulars. 

No.  5359  is  smaller  than  the  other  specimens,  and  has  a more 
subulate  tragus.  The  specimen  was  imperfect. 

Habitat — From  the  Atlantic  coast  to  Rocky  Mountains. 

Yaries  very  little  in  color  and  size.  I have  never  seen  any 
specimens  “entirely  black,”  a peculiarity  of  coloring  stated  by 
Major  Leconte  to  sometimes  occur. 


Measurements. 


Current 

number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

Length  of 
forearm. 

Length  of 
tibia. 

Length  of 
longest  finger. 

Length  of 
thumb. 

Height  of 
ear. 

Height  of 
tragus. 

Expanse. 

Nature  of 
specimen. 

3328 

2.6 

1.6 

1.7 

0.6 

2.9 

0.3 

0.6 

0 2 

12.0 

Dry. 

4729 

2.9 

1.5 

1.6 

0.6 

2.9 

0.3 

0.6 

0.2! 

12.0 

it 

746 

2.o 

1.7 

0 6 

29 

0.3 

0.6 

0.2! 

<< 

74 

2.3 

1.5 

1.6 

0.6 

2.9 

0.3 

0.6| 

0.3 

it 

2231 

U 

2.0 

0.6 

0.3 

0.6 

0.3 

it 

1783 

2.2 

1.2 

1.6 

0.7 

2.7 

0.4 

0.5! 

0.2! 

il 

42 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

i 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Specimen. 

5331 

1 

James  Bay,  H.  B. 

C.  Drexler. 

Alcoholic. 

5295 

2 

Moose  Factory,  “ 

“ “ 

1 i 

5301 

1 

Middleboro’,  Mass. 

J.  W.  P.  Jenks. 

< t 

5427 

1 

Carlisle,  Pa. 

S.  F.  Baird. 

Dry. 

5305 

1 

“ “ 

David  Miller. 

Alcoholic. 

5357 

1 

West  Philadelphia. 

W.  S.  Wood. 

5290 

1 

Mt.  Holly,  N.  J. 

Dr.  Geo.  C.  Brown. 

5296 

1 

Washington,  D.  C. 

W.  Wilson. 

< ( 

3328 

1 

Illinois  River. 

R.  Kennicott. 

it 

5291 

1 

St.  Louis.  Mo. 

Dr.  Engeimann. 

it 

5293 

2 

Nebraska. 

Dr.  J.  G.  Cooper. 

it 

5294 

1 

Platte  River. 

W.  S.  Wood. 

it 

5431 

2 

Fort  Union,  Neb. 

Dr.  F.  Y.  Hayden. 

it 

5359 

1 

«<  “ 

“ “ 

it 

5316 

2 

it  it 

“ “ 

a 

5429 

1 

Yellowstone  River. 

Col.  Vaughan. 

it 

5289 

1 

Puget  Souud. 

Dr.  Kennedy. 

it 

5321 

1 

Fort  Reading,  Cal. 

Dr.  T.  F.  Hammond. 

a 

5292 

1 

United  States. 

2 

tt 

4729 

1 

Major  Leconte. 

a 

Fig.  37. 


S.  noctivagans. 


SCOTOPHILUS.  ' 


43 


Scotopliilus  laesperus,  Allen. 

The  Western  Bat. 

Fig.  38.  Fig.  39. 


Description. — Diminutive.  Head  small,  flat ; face  blunt  and 
stout,  not  hairy.  Tragus  short,  blunt,  slightly  concave  on  inner, 
convex  on  outer  border,  causing  it  to  incurve.  Thumb  small ; 
nail  dull  and  minute  ; foot  very  small ; wing  membranes  attached 
to  base  of  toes.  Interfemoral  membrane  ample.  A small  excal- 
caneal  lobe  of  membrane — the  termination  of  caicaneum  blending 
with  the  membrane.  The  tip  of  the  tail  is  not  exserted.  Body 
rather  slender. 

The  fur  is  somewhat  scanty  ; it  is  thickest  on  the  back  where 
it  is  of  an  obscure  dirty  gray,  blending  in  some  individuals  to  a 
brownish  color — that  in  front  being  thinner  and  of  a lighter  hue. 
The  main  bulk  of  the  fur  is  of  a dark  plumbeous,  the  above- 
mentioned  colors,  constituting  the  tips  only. 

Dentition. 

5 14  15 

Molars  — Canines  — Incisors  — . Canines  — . Molars = 34  teeth. 

5 1 6 15 

Upper  Jaw.  — The  incisors — both  central  and  lateral — uni- 
cuspid, and  of  equal  length  ; the  canines  moderately  developed  ; 
the  first  premolar  is  very  small,  wedged  in  between  the  canine 
and  the  second  premolar,  which  is  large,  as  in  other  species  of 
Scotophilus ; the  molars  as  usual. 

Lower  Jaw. — The  incisors  and  canines  not  peculiar ; the  pre- 
molars two  in  number:  the  first  is  small,  and  is  unicuspid,  the 
second  larger  with  an  obscure  basal  cusp.  The  skull  is  eminently 
ticotophiloid,  being  flat  and  broad. 

This  bat  resembles  the  S.  pipistrellus,  of  Europe,  in  the  con- 
tour of  the  head,  the  shape  of  the  ear  and  tragus,  the  smallness 
and  shape  of  the  thumb  and  nail,  the  character  of  the  interfemoral 
membrane,  and  in  the  style  of  coloring.  # The  greater  part  of  the 


44 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


fur  in  both  is  of  dark  plumbeous,  the  tip  alone  being  a hue  at 
variance  with  it.  These  tips  in  $.  hesperus  are  brownish-gray 
and  fawn,  in  S.  pipistrellus  being  a rich  olive-brown.  In  size 
it  corresponds  to  that  small  European  group  with  incurved  tragus 
and  rounded  ear,  of  which  S.  alcythoe  and  S.  arislippe  are  mem- 
bers. It  differs  from  it,  however,  in  the  additional  molar  on  the 
upper  jaw.  S.  hesperus , therefore,  is  a form  uniting,  so  far  as 
can  now  be  determined,  the  peculiarities  of  S.  pipistrellus  and 
S.  alcythoe  and  aristippe. 


Measurements. 


«| 

S 

o 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

Length  of 
forearm. 

Length  of 
tibia. 

CP 

bb 

o ^ 

_ w 

< v ; 

5,2 

Length  of 
thumb. 

Height  of 
ear. 

Height  of 

tragus. 

\ Expanse. 

Nature  of 

specimen. 

5406 

1.4 

1.0 

1.1 

0.5 

1.8 

0.1 

0.3 

o.H 

7.0 

6015 

1.4 

1.1 

0.5 

1.6 

0.H 

0.5i 

0.1* 

? 

5510 

1.9 

0.11 

1.4 

0.4 

2.0 

0.1* 

0.4 

0.1 

7.0 

List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Spec’n. 

5406 

1 

Ft.  Yuma,  Cal. 

Maj.  G.  H.  Thomas. 

Alcoholic. 

5510 

1 

Posa  Creek,  Cal. 

Dr.  A.  L.  Heermann. 

Dry. 

5509 

1 

Fig.  40. 


S.  hesperus. 


SCOTOPHILUS. 


45 


A bat,  labelled  5345,  Cass  Co.,  Mo.,  presented  by  Dr.  P.  R. 
Hoy,  presents  peculiarities  so  marked  that  it  cannot  be  assigned 
to  any  of  the  foregoing  species.  It  belongs,  however,  to  the 
group  characterized  by  the  small  and  equal  superior  incisors,  of 
which  S.  georgianus  and  5.  hesperus  are  the  representatives. 
Indeed,  the  dentition  throughout  is  similar  to  that  seen  in  S. 
georgianus  ; and  the  tout  ensemble  of  the  animal  indicates  that  it 
has  a closer  affinity  to  the  former  than  to  the  latter  of  these  species. 

The  head  is  flat  and  broad  ; lips  slightly  tumid  ; nostrils  open- 
ing sublaterally,  placed  near  the  lip  ; the  snout  rather  thick,  and 
scarcely  if  at  all  emarginated ; auricles  of  a light  brown  color, 
not  quite  as  long  as  head,  subulate,  tip  turned  slightly  outwards ; 
internal  basal  border  not  bluntish  and  rounded  as  in  other  species 
of  Scotophilus,  but  markedly  and  sharply  produced , as  in  Ves- 
per tilio.  Tragus  similar  to  that,  of  S.  georgianus , short,  stout ; 
outer  border  strongly  convex.  Wing  membrane  of  a blackish- 
brown  color,  attached  to  base  of  toes  ; foot  rather  large.  Inter- 
femoral  membrane  ample.  Termination  of  calcaneum  not  abrupt. 
Tip  of  tail  exserted,  half  the  length  of  terminal  caudal  segment. 
Color  very  similar  to  that  of  V.  subulatus — the  fur  of  the  back 
being  more  olive. 

The  above  brief  description  agrees  with  that  of  S.  georgianus , 
on  the  one  hand,  in  the  dentition,  shape  of  tragus  and  style  of 
wing  membrane ; with  that  of  V.  subulatus,  on  the  other,  in  the 
shape  of  auricle,  and  in  the  coloring  of  the  fur. 

I have  deemed  it  sufficient  to  thus  indicate  the  peculiarities  of 
this  individual,  without  venturing  upon  a specific  name,  preferring 
to  await  the  receipt  of  additional  specimens. 


46 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


VESPERTILIO,  Keyserling  & Blasius. 


Vespertilio , Keyserling  & Blasius,  Wirbel  thiere  Europas,  1840,  17. 
Molars  £ ; skull  inflated,  raised  above  the  line  of  the  nasal 
bones ; internal  basal  lobe  of  ear  sharply  defined,  more  or  less 
acute. 


Fig.  41 


V.  subulatus. 


The  term  Vespertilio  has  been  variously  applied  by  authors. 
As  employed  by  Linnaeus,  it  represented  a group  now  considered 
to  be  an  entire  order — Cheiroptera.  When  Geof.  St.  Hilaire 
revised  the  bats,  he  restricted  the  name  to  the  naked-nosed  forms 
with  the  tail  inclosed  within  the  interfemoral  membrane.  It 
has  again  been  divided  by  numerous  authors,  among  whom  may 
be  mentioned  Isidore  Geoffroy,  Temminck,  Gray,  Keyserling  & 
Blasius,  until  at  present  as  properly  restricted  by  the  latter 
accomplished  naturalists,  it  is  used  to  designate  a small  but  well 
defined  group,  the  members  of  which  embrace  the  most  delicate 
forms  of  Vespertilionidse.  Owing  to  the  fact  that  species  of  the 
genus  have  a widely  spread  distribution,  minute  differences  in 
form  and  color  in  specimens  brought  from  distant  localities  have 
been  made  of  more  importance  than  they  deserve.  Species  have 
thus  sprung  up,  many  of  which  have  never  been  identified,  and 
serve  only  to  retard  progression  by  a useless  synonymy. 

Some  of  the  many  so-called  species  of  this  country  I have  been 
enabled  to  determine  ; with  others,  however,  I have  not  been  so 
successful.  The  names  of  the  former  are  mentioned  as  synonyms 
to  those  having  the  priority.  With  the  remainder  I am  obliged 
to  content  myself  with  merely  naming,  viz.  : V.  subjlavus,  V. 


VESPERT1LI0. 


47 

crassus,  Fr.  Cuv. ; V ferrugineus , V.  erythrodacfylus , Temm.  ;l 
V.  megalotis,  V.  phaiops,  V.  melanotis,  V.  cyanopterus , V.  mystax, 
II a f.  V.  virginianus,  V.  leibii,  Bachman.1 

We  cannot  do  better  here  than  introduce  the  remarks  of  Major 
Leconte,  inserted  at  the  close  of  his  Observations  quoted  above, 
relative  to  these  species  : — 

“ Of  bats  described  by  others,  the  following  with  but  one  ex- 
ception, I have  never  seen.  Dr.  Bachman,  in  the  eighth  vol. 
Jour.,  mentions  four  species.  V.  monticola,  he  says,  resembles 
Say’s  bat ; what  species  he  calls  by  that  name  I cannot  discover. 
V.  virginianus  seems  to  be  the  V.  humeralis  of  Rafinesque.  I 
have  not  seen  this  last  for  several  years,  and  therefore  cannot 
pronounce  definitely  concerning  it.  The  V.  leibii  and  V.  cali- 
fornicus  are  equally  unknown.  Of  M.  Rafinesque’s  species,  it 
is  impossible  to  determine  the  following ; there  is  good  reason  to 
doubt,  however,  whether  they  are  distinct  from  others  which  are 
well  known : V.  cyanopterus , V.  melanotis,  V.  calcaratus,  V. 
pjhaiops  (afterwards  described  in  his  Annals  of  Nature,  No.  1,  as 
his  Eptisecus  melanops)  ; V.  megalotis,  V.  mystax  (afterwards 
called,  in  the  Journal  de  Physique,  Yol.  LXXXVIII,  p.  417, 
Hyper odon  mystax  and  Eptisecus  melas).  M.  Cuvier’s  V.  salarii 
may  be  the  fuscus,  and  his  subflavus  the  carolinensis  ; his  crassus 
likewise  I cannot  determine.  M.  Temminck’s  V.  erythrodactylus, 
Temm.  Yol.  II,  p.  235,  remains  amongst  those  unknown  to  me.” 

Such  are  the  conclusions  of  an  accomplished  naturalist ! After 
careful  study  he  can  only  conjecture  what  might  have  been  the 
meaning  of  his  authors.  Rafinesque,  with  whom  rests  the  greater 
part  of  the  blame  of  this  faulty  and  careless  observation,  seems  to 
have  been  utterly  regardless  of  the  existence  of  specific  characters. 
Many  of  his  descriptions  are  mere  words,  seldom  conveying  any 
definite  impression  to  the  mind  ; and  if  they  are  so  far  successful, 
it  is  rarely  a correct  one.  But  the  work  of  this  eccentric  natural- 
ist was  excusable  when  compared  with  that  of  F.  Cuvier.  This 
gentleman  had  received  from  Major  Leconte  a collection  of  North 
American  Bats,  the  new  species  of  which  he  described.3  But  so 
carelessly  was  this  work  performed  that  out  of  his  descriptions, 
six  in  number,  the  donor  could  recognize  but  two — V.  georgianus 
and  Vs  gryphus,  the  latter  being  a synonym  of  S.  fuscus.  The 

Vide  Appendix  (for  all  these  descriptions). 


i 


2 Vide  Appendix. 


48 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


descriptions  of  Dr.  Bachman  are  also  very  imperfect.  The  most 
valuable  points — such  as  the  attachment  of  wing  membrane  to  the 
feet,  and  the  number  of  molars — being  omitted. 

In  the  new  species  which  I have  deemed  it  necessary  to  intro- 
duce, I much  regret  that  from  the  above  list  I could  not  retain 
any  names.  As  objectionable  as  it  is  to  increase  the  number  of 
species  of  Vespertilionidse  when  there  are  so  many  yet  unde- 
termined, it  would  be  still  more  so  to  apply  to  forms  thought  to 
be  distinct  names  to  which  no  specific  characters  have  been 
attached,  or  which,  if  applying  to  good  species,  are  descriptive  of 
peculiarities  not  found  in  those  about  to  be  given. 

The  species  may  be  arranged  as  follows  : — 


1.  Internal  basal  lobe  of  ear  acute. 

a.  Point  of  tail  very  ) Ears  longer  than  head 

slightly  exserted  5 Ears  as  long  as  head 

b.  Point  of  tail  decidedly  exserted. 

Tragus  linear,  turned  outward 
Tragus  linear,  erect. 

Color  beneath  chestnut-brown  . 

Color  beneath  whitish 

2.  Internal  basal  lobe  of  ear  obtuse,  rounded  . 


V.  evotis. 

V.  nitidus. 

V.  subulatus . 

V.  yumanensis • 
V.  affinis. 

V.  lucifugus. 


Vespertilio  evotis,  Allen,  n.  s. 

Fig.  42.  Fig.  43. 


Description. — Head  rather  small;  face  pointed,  moderately 
whiskered ; snout  produced ; ears  large,  high,  erect,  oval,  not 


VESPERTILIO. 


40 


turning  outwardly ; long,  sub-acuminate  slightly  diverging 
tragus  ; thumb  slender  ; foot  of  moderate  size  ; ample  interfemoral 
membrane  ; last  joint  of  tail  exserted.  The  membranes  are  of  a 
light  brown  color,  tending  in  some  to  a darker  hue.  Hair  long 
and  soft,  plumbeous  at  base  behind,  with  light  brown  tips  in- 
clined to  yellowish  toward  the  head. 

The  fur  in  front  is  dark  maroon,  or  black  at  base  with 
whitish  tips.  The  basal  third  of  the  ear  is  covered  with  hair  at 
base : at  the  base  of  the  interfemoral  membrane  behind  a tuft  of 
hair  is  seen. 

In  two  specimens  the  fur  had  a darker  tinge,  the  tips  behind 
being  dark  olive-brown,  the  base  being  black. 

This  species  has  the  largest  ear  of  any  of  the  American  species 
of  Vespertilio . 

The  cranium  is  greatly  inflated ; the  face  slender  and  pointed. 


Dentition. 

6 1 4 16 

Molars  . Canines  — . Incisors  — . Canines  — . Molars = 38  teeth. 

6 16  16 

Upper  Jaw. — The  incisors  are  grouped  in  pairs  near  the 
canines,  separated  by  an  open  space.  The  centrals  are  markedly 
bifid,  the  laterals  obscurely  so.  Of  the  premolars  the  first  two  are 
very  small,  the  second  being  the  smaller ; the  third  is  larger,  com- 
pressed and  bicuspid,  the  outer  cusp  much  the  larger,  and  longer 
than  any  point  of  the  molars  proper.  The  remaining  molars  not 
peculiar. 

Lower  Jaw. — Incisors  trifid,  the  one  adjacent  to  the  canine  on 
either  side  obscurely  quadrilobed.  Canines  with  a small  basal 
cusp  behind.  The  premolars  small,  the  two  anterior  most  so,  the 
third  is  slender  ; basal  ridge  thick. 

No  specimens  have  been  received  from  localities  east  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains.  It  appears  to  be  comparatively  common 
along  the  Pacific  coast  from  Puget  Sound  to  Lower  California. 


4 


50 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


Measurements. 


i Current 

number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

Length  of 

forearm. 

O 

*3 

c -ri 

0> 

45 

0> 

tc 

a 

qa 

o 

r-  ^ 

5 be 
be  5 
a ° 
a>  ^ 

>4 

Length  of 

thumb. 

Height  of 

ear. 

O a! 

£ it 
be  £ 

'£  -2 

Expanse. 

Nature  of 

specimen. 

5390*7. 

1.8 

1.5$ 

1.5 

0.8 

2.3 

0.4 

0 8 

0.5 

9.0 

Alcoholic. 

53905 

1.6 

1.4 

1.5 

O.S 

2 3 

0.3* 

0.6 

0.5 

9.0 

it 

5390c 

1.6 

1.4 

1.5 

0.8 

2.3 

0.3* 

0.8 

0.4* 

9.0 

it 

53S9 

1.6 

1.6 

1.6 

0.7 

2.3 

0.3 

0 11 

0.5* 

9.6 

ti 

5392 a 

1.6 

1.6 

1.6 

0.7* 

2.4 

0.3 

0.8* 

0.6 

10.0 

tc 

5392 b 

1.6 

1.6 

1.6 

0 7 

2.3 

0.3 

0 9 

0.6 

10.0 

it 

5392 e 

1.6 

1.6 

1.5 

0.6 

2 3 

0.3 

0.8 

0.6 

10.0 

it 

5391a 

1.6 

1.6 

1.5 

0.6 

2.3 

0.3 

0.9 

06 

8.7 

it 

53915 

1.6 

1.6 

1.5 

0.6 

2.3 

0.2* 

0.9 

0.6 

8.6 

it 

5413 

1.4 

1.4 

1.5 

0 7 

2 1 

0.2* 

0.9 

0.5 

2 

it 

1.6 

1.6 

1.5 

0.7 

2.3 

0.3 

0.11 

0.5 

8.9 

it 

5395 

1.6 

1.6 

1.5 

0.8 

2.3 

0.3 

0.11 

0.5 

9.0 

it 

5413 

? 

2.0 

1.6 

? 

2.6 

0.5 

0.7* 

0 4 

8 6 

Dry. 

1789 

2.0 

1.3 

1.6 

0.8 

2 0 

0.5 

0.7 

0.3 

? 

List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Spec’m. 

5392 

3 

Upper  Missouri. 

Dr.  .Hayden. 

Alcoholic. 

5390 

3 

Puget  Sound.  [B.  Snrv.) 

it 

5391 

2 

East  of  Colville.  (N.  W. 

Dr.  C.  B.  Kennerly. 

tt 

5389 

1 

Monterey,  Cal. 

A.  S.  Taylor, 

it 

5387 

2 

Cape  St.  Lucas. 

John  Xantus. 

it 

5395 

1 

? 

? 

it 

5413 

1 

Mts.  of  N.  Mexico. 

Capt.  Pope. 

Dry. 

Fig.  44. 


Y.  evotis. 


VESPERTILIO. 


51 


Vespertilio  subulatus,  Say. 

The  Little  Brown  Bat 
Fig.  45.  Fig.  46. 


Vespertilio  subulatus,  Say,  Long’s  Exp.  to  Rk’y  Mts.  II,  1823,  65  (note). — 
Harlan,  Fauna  Americana,  1825,  22. — Richardson,  Fauna  Bor.  Amer. 
I,  1829,  3. — Godman,  Amer.  Nat.  Hist.  1, 1831,  71. — Cooper,  Ann.  Lyc. 
N.  Y.  IV,  1837,  61.  — DeKay,  Nat.  Hist.  N.  Y.  (Zool.)  1842,  8.— 
Wagner,  Schreb.  V,  1855,  750. — Leconte,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Pliila. 
1855,  436. 

Vespertilio  californicus,  Bachman,  Journ.  Phila.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  1842,  280. 

— Peale,  U.  S.  Explor.  Exp.  (Mam.)  1858,  3. 

Vespertilio  caroli,  Temm.  Monog.  II,  1835,  237. — Wagner,  Schreb.  Saiig.  V, 
1855,  749. 

Vespertilio  domesticus,  Green,  Cab.  Nat.  Hist.  II,  290. 

Description.  — Head  light,  moderate  size  ; face  whiskered ; 
ear  smaller  than  in  V.  evotis,  turned  slightly  outwards ; tragus 
erect,  half  the  height  of  the  ear ; the  interfemoral  membrane 
smallest,  the  point  of  tail  exserted. 

The  fur  is  not  so  thick  as  in  V.  evotis.  The  base  of  the  hair 
behind  is  of  a dark  plumbeous  color,  tips  olive-brown  ; the  base 
in  front  is  of  the  same  hue,  blending  into  a whitish-yellow  tip. 
The  color  is  subject  to  little  variation  ; the  olive-brown  of  the 
back  is,  in  some  specimens,  of  a lighter  hue.  The  distribution 
as  in  other  species! 

Dentition  as  in  V.  evotis. 

The  specimens  of  V.  subulatus  arrange  themselves  into  two 
groups,  one  of  which  may  be  considered  typical,  the  other  tending 
in  the  shape  of  ear  to  the  preceding  species.  Indeed  the  change 
from  one  species  to  the  other  is  so  gradual  that  it  is  difficult  to 
assign  the  boundary  to  each.  I have  included  under  V.  subulatus 
a number  of  specimens  which  have  the  ear  higher  than  those  from 


52 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


which  the  description  has  been  taken,  but  agreeing  with  V.  suhu - 
latus  in  other  particulars. 

JELab. — Yery  common,  especially  in  the  country  east  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  where  it  is  the  most  abundant  of  the  species 
of  Vespertilio. 


Measurements. 


Current 

number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

Length  of 
foreai’m. 

Length  of 
tibia. 

Length  of 
longest  finger. 

Length  of 

thumb. 

Height  of 

ear. 

Height  of 

tragus. 

Expanse. 

Nature  of 

specimen. 

5382 

1.6 

1.4 

1.4 

0.7* 

2.1 

0.3 

0.7 

0.6 

9.0 

53S4 

1.6 

1.4 

1.4 

0.7* 

2.3 

0.3 

0.7 

0.3 

9.0 

5346 

1.6 

1.4 

1.4 

0.7* 

2.2 

0.3 

0.7 

0.3 

9 0 

1.8 

1.4* 

1.4 

0.7 

2.3 

0.3 

0.6* 

0.3 

9.0 

5385 

1.6 

1.5 

1.3 

0 4* 

2.1 

0.2* 

0.7 

0.3 

8.0 

5370 

1.6 

1.4 

1.2* 

0.4* 

2.2 

0.3 

0 7* 

0.3 

9.0 

5393 

1.6 

1.5 

1.4* 

05 

2.3 

0.3 

0.7 

0.3 

9.0 

5352 

1.10 

1.8 

1.6 

0.5* 

2.4 

0.3 

0.7 

0.4 

9.2 

Fig.  47. 


V,  subalatu®. 


VESPERTILIO. 


53 


List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Specimen. 

5384 

1 

Nova  Scotia. 

Dr.  Gilpin. 

Alcoholic. 

5370 

1 

Brunswick,  Me. 

A.  S.  Packard. 

“ 

5385 

1 

Elizabethtown,  N.  Y. 

S.  F.  Baird. 

“ 

6322 

1 

Nebraska. 

Dr.  Cooper. 

U 

53S5 

1 

Phillipsburef,  Pa. 

A.  Brakeley. 

5382 

1 

B ad  ford.  Pa. 

C.  C.  Martin. 

44 

5381 

1 

Mead  vi  He,  Pa. 

J.  F.  Thickstun. 

7196 

1 

Beaufort,  S.  C. 

Dr.  Hayden? 

Dry. 

7197 

1 

“ *l 

“ i. 

3721 

1 

Michipico,  L.  Sup. 

C.  A.  Hubbard. 

5355 

1 

Portage,  Lake  Sup. 

B.  A.  Hoopes. 

Alcoholic. 

5351 

1 

Upper  Mis.  River,  111. 

R.  Kennicott. 

44 

5312 

1 

Racine,  Wis. 

Dr.  P.  R.  Hoy. 

44 

5500 

1 

Gross  Isl.,  Mich. 

C.  Fox. 

Dry. 

5318 

1 

“ “ 

« it. 

Alcoholic. 

5338 

1 

Detroit,  Mich. 

Capt.  Gunnison. 

44 

5391 

l 

Brookville,  Ind. 

Dr.  R.  Hayraond. 

44 

5348 

1 

Southern  Illinois. 

R.  Kennicott. 

44 

5346 

2 

St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Dr.  Engelmann. 

44 

5531 

1 

Upper  Missouri. 

Dr.  Hayden. 

44 

5362 

1 

Sonora. 

Arthur  Schott. 

5435 

1 

“ 

J.  H.  Clark. 

Dry. 

5432 

1 

f 

? 

44 

5503 

1 

? 

? 

44 

5441 

1 

Sonora. 

J.  H.  Clark. 

Vespertilio  alii  n as,  Allen,  n.  s. 


Fig.  48.  Fig.  49. 


Description. — H*ead  moderate,  slightly  depressed  ; face  hairy  ; 
ears  rather  small,  inner  border  convex,  outer  border  concave. 
Tragus  is  subulate,  about  half  as  high  as  the  ear,  straight  on 
internal  side,  diverging  on  the  external.  Lip  whiskered.  Body 
robust.  Feet  long  and  slender — a few  curved  hairs  at  the  base 
of  the  nails ; wing  membranes  attached  midway  to  base  of  toes. 
Interfemoral  membrane  rather  small ; a little  lobe  at  the  termina- 
tion of  the  calcaneum  ; point  of  tail  exserted.  Thumb  rather 
large.  Wing  membranes  dark  brown,  but  thin. 


54 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


Fur  thicker  behind  than  before,  and  extending  a slight  distance 
on  the  interfemoral  membrane.  Color  lustrous  light  chestnut- 
brown  above  ; same  color  of  a lighter  shade,  inclining  to  yellowish, 
below.  The  base  of  the  fur  above  and  below  is  of  a delicate  fawn 
brown. 

The  dentition  is  the  same  as  in  V.  evotis — the  incisors  being  of 
the  same  length,  the  laterals  bicuspid. 

V.  affinis  resembles  S.  georgianus  in  being  about  the  same 
size,  and  in  the  fur  and  membranes  presenting  the  same  general 
appearance.  It  differs  from  that  species  in  having  the  ear  more 
emarginated  on  the  outer  border ; the  tragus  not  blunt,  nor  so 
wide  proportionately  ; the  face  more  hairy,  and  not  so  depressed  ; 
the  reddish  hue  of  the  hair  more  decided ; the  fur  thicker  and 
less  wavy.  The  dentition  differs  in  there  being  | molars,  instead 
of  f . V.  affinis  has  also  a narrower  interfemoral  membrane,  and 
a marked  calcaneal  lobe. 

To  V.  yumanensis  it  bears  some  resemblance  in  the  shape  and 
extent  of  the  interfemoral  membrane,  and  shape  of  tragus ; but 
the  differences  in  the  pelage,  and  the  color  and  texture  of  the 
wing  membranes  separate  them. 


Fig.  50. 


V.  affinis. 


YESPERTILIO. 


55 


Measurements. 


Current 

number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

Length  of 
forearm. 

Length  of 

tibia. 

Length  of 

longest  finger. 

Length  of 

thumb. 

Height  of 

ear. 

O W 

3 

rS  tD 
be  Ct 
*0  -+-> 

Expanse. 

Nature  of 

specimen. 

5342 

1.1 

1.1 

1.4 

O.65 

2.3 

0.4 

0.6 

0.3 

9.0 

Alcoholic. 

List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Spec’m. 

5342 

1 

Ft.  Smith,  Ark. 

Dr.  Sliumard. 

Alcoholic. 

No  specimens  have  reached  us  from  any  other  locality. 


Tespertilio  lucifugus,  Leconte. 

The  Blunt-nosed  Bat. 

Fig.  51.  Fig.  52. 


Vespertilio  lucifugus , Leconte,  Cuv.  An.  Kingdom  (McMurtrie  ed.)  I,  App. 

1831,  431. — Ib.  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  1855,  436. 

Vespertilio  brevirostris , Max  Prince  Wied,  Verzeich.  beobach.  Saug.  N.  A. 

1860,  19. 

Description. — Head  rather  large,  somewhat  flattish ; lips 
moderately  whiskered  ; snout  more  obtuse  than  in  other  species 
of  Vespertilio ; nostrils  sub-lateral,  some  distance  from  free  border 
of  upper  lip ; ears  narrow,  blunt  at  tip,  slightly  emarginated  on 
outer  side  : the  internal  basal  lobe  produced,  rounded  and  some- 
what obtuse,  not  thicker  than  other  portions  of  ear.  Tragus 
half  as  high  as  auricle,  mostly  blunt,  unfrequently  abruptly  acu- 
minate. Mental  space  well  defined.  Feet  large;  interfemoral 
membrane  of  moderate  size ; termination  of  calcaneum  with  inter- 
femoral somewhat  abrupt ; the  point  of  tail  exserted. 


56 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


Coloration  subject  to  little  variation,  that  of  the  back  dark 
plumbeous  at  base,  with  dark  or  lightish  olive-brown  tips  ; that 
of  the  belly  lighter  at  tip — exhibiting  a whitish  gray,  or  yellow- 
ish gray  appearance.  The  color  is  thus  similar  to  that  of  V. 
subulatus. 

Dentition  as  in  V.  evotis. 

The  narrow  blunt  ear,  short  face,  and  the  elevation  of  the 
nostril  above  the  free  margin  of  upper  lip  are  the  characters 
which  serve  to  distinguish  this  species. 

V.  daubentonii,  of  Europe,  bears  some  resemblance  to  this 
species  in  the  shape  of  the  ear  and  tragus  ; but  it  is  dissimilar  in 
the  whitish  color  of  fur  beneath,  and  in  the  attachment  of  the 
wing  membrane  to  foot,  which  is  here  joined  to  the  ankle  instead 
of  the  base  of  the  toes  as  in  V.  lucifugus. 

The  specimen,  numbered  5538,  from  the  east  of  Colville, *N.  W. 
Territory,  has  a pointed  tragus,  and  the  middle  part  of  the  free 
border  of  the  interfemoral  membrane  fringed  with  stiff  hairs.  The 
fur  of  the  body  is  silvery  beneath,  blackish  above,  back  of  feet  not 
hairy.  Another  form  from  St.  Louis,  Mo.  (Cat.  No.  5344),  has 
the  wing  membrane  attached  to  the  ankles — the  foot  being  entirely 
free.  In  other  respects  both  agree  with  V.  lucifugus. 

I have  thought  it  necessary  to  thus  briefly  indicate  these  two 
aberrant  individuals,  without  giving  any  separate  account  of 
them.  Should  future  collections  bring  forward  any  others  having 
the  same  peculiarities  as  the  above,  they  may  possibly  then  be 
thought  worthy  to  receive  specific  names. 

Hab. — Quite  common,  and  univefsally  distributed  throughout 
the  United  States,  and  south  to  the  Isthmus  of  Panama. 


Measurements. 


| Current 
| number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

Length  of 
forearm. 

o 

5 

sc  3 

o>  *■* 

Length  of 
longest  finger. 

Length  of 
thumb. 

o 

Si.  ^ 

*<E  © 

a 

O GC 

% be 
be  ^ 

Expanse. 

a 

<4-  © 

c 3 

© *3 

S © 

ft 
ce  « 

5336 

1.10 

1.5 

1.5 

0 7 

2 6 

0 2| 

0.6 

0.2 

9.0 

Alcoholic. 

1.9 

1.5 

0 6.j 

2.4 

0. 2‘j 

0.6 

0.3 

8.6 

53.53 

1.9 

1 6 

1.4 

0.4 

2 5 

0.3 

0 7 

0.3 

! 8.0 

u 

5347 

1.9 

1.6 

1.4 

0 4,i 

2.5 

0 3 

0 6 .t 

0 3 

j 8 9 

5376 

1.9 

1.6 

1.4 

0 4 

2 5 

0 3 

0.7 

0 3 

1 S 9 

5101 

2.0 

1 6 

1.7 

0.8 

2 6. 

0.3 

0 7 

04 

I 100 

5364 

1.6 

1 3 

1.3 

0 6 

2 3 

0 3 

0 6 

0 I 

j 80 

5377 

1.9 

1.3 

1.3 

0.7 

2 2 

0.2? 

0.6 

03 

9.0 

VESPERTILIO. 


57 


List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

[Nature  of  Spec’m. 

5376 

1 

James  Bay,  Hudson's  13. 

C.  Drexler. 

Alcoholic. 

5335 

1 

Westport,  N.  Y. 

S.  F.  Baird. 

44 

5334 

2 

it  4i  £ 

“ •<  9 

44 

5336 

3 

Foxburg,  Pa. 

“ “ 

44 

533S 

1 

Washingtou,  D.  C. 

“ “ 

44 

5337 

2 

44 

C.  Gerard. 

44 

7197 

1 

Beaufort,  S.  C. 

Dr.  Hayden. 

44 

7198 

1 

44 

“ “ 

44 

5319 

1 

Isle  Roynle,  Lake  Sup. 

B.  A.  Hoopes. 

44 

5354 

1 

Deti’oit  River. 

S F.  Baird. 

44 

5501 

1 

Grosse  Isle,  Mich. 

Rev.  C.  Fox. 

Dry. 

5500 

1 

“ “ 

“ “ 

44 

5505 

1 

“ “ 

“ “ 

44 

5373 

1 

Wisconsin. 

A.  C.  Barry. 

Alcoholic. 

549 S 

1 

Racine,  Wis. 

Dr.  P.  R.  Hoy. 

Dry. 

5349 

5 

Cook  Co.,  111. 

R.  Kennicott. 

Alcoholic. 

5197 

1 

“ “ 

“ “ 

Dry. 

5347 

2 

Cairo,  111. 

“ “ 

Alcoholic. 

5363 

1 

Fort  Pierre,  Neb. 

Dr.  Hayden. 

44 

5379 

1 

Santa  Fe,  N.  M.  [N.  N. 

W.  J.  Howard. 

44 

5374 

2 

Cantonment  Burgwyn, 

Dr.  Anderson. 

44 

5361 

5 

Puget  Sound,  W.  T. 

A.  Campbell. 

44 

5366 

3 

“ ? 

Dr.  Suckley. 

44 

5378 

2 

Fort  Steilacoom,  W.  T. 

44 

5299 

1 

Columbia  River. 

U.  S.  Exp.  Exped. 

44 

5403 

2 

Fort  Reading,  Cal. 

Dr.  J.  F.  Hammond. 

44 

5364 

2 

“ “ “ 

“ “ 

44 

5383 

2 

Cape  Flattery,  W.  T. 

Lt.  Trowbridge. 

4‘ 

5380 

1 

? 

? 

lt 

5377 

1 

? 

? 

44 

5373 

1 

Aspinwall,  N.  G. 

Dr.  S.  Hayes. 

Fig.  53. 


V.  lucifugus. 


58 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


Vespertilio  yiimanensis,  Allen. 

The  Gila  Bat. 

Fig.  54.  Fig.  55. 


Description. — Head  moderate,  not  depressed ; hairy.  Ears 
ellipsoid,  very  slightly  emarginated  on  the  outer  border.  Tragus 
subulate,  half  the  height  of  the  ear,  straight  on  internal,  convex 
on  external  border.  Nostrils  elliptical,  opening  sublaterally ; space 
between  them  naked,  and  slightly  emarginated.  Lips  moderately 
well  covered  with  whitish  whiskers.  Body  slender.  The  feet  are 
large,  the  wing  membrane  attached  midway  , to  the  base  of  the 
toes.  Interfemoral  membrane  triangular,  the  termination  of  the 
calcaneum  forming  a lobe  with  the  membrane ; the  point  of  tail 
exserted.  The  thumb  moderate.  Wing  membranes  thin,  light 
color,  and  almost  diaphanous. 

The  hair  behind  is  plumbeous  at  base,  and  light  brown  at  the 
tip.  That  in  front  dark  umber  at  base,  and  grayish-white  at  tip — 
the  white  hue  being  predominant.  The  distribution  of  fur  is  the 
same  as  in  other  species. 

Dentition  same  as  in  V.  evotis. 

In  general  appearance  this  bat  resembles  both  V.  subulatus 
and  Scotophilus  georgianus.  It  is,  however,  smaller  than  the 
former,  the  membranes  more  delicate,  the  foot  proportionately 
larger,  the  interfemoral  membrane  smaller ; but  it  agrees  with  it 
in  the  subulate  tragus,  and  in  the  dentition.  Its  relation  to  S. 
georgianus  is  seen  in  the  light  brownish  snout  and  ear ; its  vari- 
ance therefrom  in  the  longer  and  more  acuminate  tragus,  the 
smaller  size  of  the  thumb,  and  the  difference  in  the  number  of 
molars. 

Hab.  This  species  has  not  been  received  from  any  other  locality 
than  the  one  above  given.  It  was  sent  to  the  Institution,  from 
Fort  Yuma,  with  the  original  type  of  Macrotus  calif ornicus,  by 
Major  (now  Major-General)  George  II.  Thomas,  U.  S.  A. 


VESPERTIL10, 


59 


Measurements. 


Current 

number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

C £ 

bi.  O 

S.o 

i-3 

Length  of 

tibia. 

Length  of 

longest  finger. 

Leugth  of 

thumb. 

Height  of 

ear. 

Height  of 

tragus. 

Expanse. 

Nature  of 

specimen. 

5367 

1.6 

1.4 

1.4 

5.0 

2.3 

0.4 

0.6 

3.0 

9 0 

Alcoholic. 

6019 

1 6 

1.4 

1.3 

5.0 

2.2 

0.4 

0.5£ 

3 0 

8.10 

6020 

1.6 

1.4 

1.2 

6.0 

2.1 

0.4 

0 5j 

3.0 

8.6 

44 

6021 

1.6 

1.4 

1.0 

6.0 

2.2 

0.4 

0.6 

3.0 

8.6 

List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Specimen. 

5367 

36 

Ft.  Yuma,  Cal. 

Maj.  G.  H.  Thomas. 

Alcoholic. 

6019 

1 

44  44 

u a << 

44 

6020 

1 

44  44 

U <4  44 

4* 

6021 

1 

44  44  44 

Fig.  56. 


V.  yumanensis. 


60 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


Vespertilio  nitidus,  Allen. 

The  Californian  Bat. 

Fig.  57.  Fig.  58. 


Vespertilio  nitidus , Allen,  Proc.  Phil.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  1862,  247. 

Description.  — Body  small ; head  and  face  very  hairy,  the 
nostrils  separated  by  a narrow,  slightly  emarginate  space  ; ears 
longer  than  head,  slightly  emarginate  on  outer  edge,  curving 
somewhat  outwards,  hairy  at  basal  third  behind,  extending  up  a 
greater  distance  on  thie  inner  side ; tragus  tapering,  leaning  a 
little  outwards,  and  about  half  the  height  of  auricle ; lips  ex- 
tensively whiskered ; thumb  and  foot  small ; interfemoral  mem- 
brane ample,  sparingly  haired  at  upper  half  behind ; calcaneum 
rather  long,  with  an  excalcaneal  membrane  ; color  of  membranes 
darkish  brown ; tip  of  tail  rarely  exserted.  The  termination  of 
the  calcaneum  forms  no  angle  with  the  interfemoral  membrane. 

Fur  long  and  silky.  Color  plumbeous  at  base  with  russet 
brown  and  olive  tips  behind,  and  lighter  russet  or  ashy  cinereous 
in  front.  Interfemoral  membrane  naked,  except  the  usual  tuft  at 
the  base  behind,  and  a few  lightish  hairs  arranged  transversely  in 
front. 

Dentition  as  in  V evotis 

This  species  bears  a strong  resemblance  to  Vespertilio  mysta - 
cinus,  Leisler,  of  Europe.  The  emarginate  ear,  elongate  tragus, 
and  whiskered  lips  are  seen  in  both  ; but  our  species  is  the  larger, 
while  the  thumb  is  smaller ; the  tail  is  shorter,  and  calcaneum 
more  produced.  It  differs  also  in  color — V.  mystacinus  being 
of  a grayish  brown,  V.  nitidus  a reddish  brown. 

Nos.  5405,  5537  and  5402 — four  specimens  in  all — present  the 
following  peculiarities  : The  fur  is  longer  than  in  others  of  the  col- 
lection. On  the  back  the  base  of  the  hair  is  blackish ; upper  third 
pale  yellow,  turning  to  a delicate  light-yellowish  russet  brown  ; on 
the  belly  the  hair  is  dark  at  the  base,  with  light  tips  ; the  hairs  on 


VESPERTILIO. 


61 


the  interfemoral  membrane  are  also  of  a light  color.  In  other  re- 
spects the  characters  are  the  same  as  the  other  specimens.  The 
dried  specimen,  No.  5512,  labelled  by  Dr.  Leconte  V.  oregonensis , 
though  never  described  by  him,  probably  belongs  to  this  variety. 
If  the  individuals  having  the  above  coloration  should  be  found  to 
constitute  a new  species,  this  name  will  be  reserved  for  it. 

Hab.  The  species  appears,  as  far  as  known,  to  be  confined  to 
the  regions  west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 


Fig.  59. 


Measurements. 


1 

| Current 

| number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

Length  of 
forearm. 

Length  of 
tibia. 

Length  of 
longest  finger. 

Length  of 
thumb. 

Height  of 
ear. 

Height  of 
tragus. 

Expanse. 

Nature  of 
specimen. 

5433 

1.8 

1.3 

1.3 

0.6. 

2.3 

0.3 

0.5 

0.2? 

8.0 

Dry. 

5432 

1.8 

1.0 

1.3 

0.6 

2.0 

0 3 

0.6 

0.3 

8 0 

5446 

1.6 

1.0 

1.2 

0 6 

1.9 

0.2 

0.4 

0 2 

7.0 

523 

1.7 

1.0 

1.3 

0.6 

2.0 

0.3 

0.5 

0.2k 

7.9 

5444 

1.3 

1 1 

1.2 

0.5 

1.9 

0 2.j 

0.4j 

0.2k 

7.0 

525 

1.7 

1.2 

13 

0.6 

2.0 

0.3 

0.4i 

0.2^ 

7.7 

1207 

1.7 

1.2 

1.3 

0.6 

2.9 

0.3 

0.4J 

0.3 

? 

Alcoholic. 

5498 

1.6 

1.5 

1.2 

0.6 

2.0 

03 

0.6 

0.3 

7.9 

5500 

1.7 

1.4 

1.2 

0 7 

2.3 

0 3 

0.5 

0.3 

8.5 

u 

5499 

1.6 

1.2 

1.2 

0.6 

2.1 

0.3 

0.5 

0.3 

7.9 

5368 

1.6 

1.3 

1.2 

0 6 

2.1 

o.H 

0.6 

3 0 

8 0 

1.5 

1.4 

l.H 

0.6 

2.1 

0 2 

0.6 

3.0 

8.6 

5533 

1.6 

1.1 

1.2 

0.6 

2.0 

0.2 

0.6 

3.0 

7.6 

5536 

1.5 

1.6 

1.2 

0.6k 

2.1 

0.2£ 

0.6 

30 

8.0 

5565 

1.6 

1.3 

1.3 

0.6 

2.6 

0.2 

0.6 

3.0 

8 0 

5534 

1.4 

1.2 

l.H 

0.5| 

2.0 

o.H 

0.6 

3.0 

7.0 

5537 

1.5 

1.3 

1 2 

0.6 

2.3 

0.2 

0.6 

3.0 

8.0 

5105 

1.6 

1.2 

1.2 

0. 6g- 

2.1 

0.2 

0.6 

3.0 

8.0 

62 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Specimen. 

5432 

1 

Guadalupe  Canon,  N.M. 

Capt.  J.  Pope. 

Dry. 

5436 

1 

Pecos  River,  Tex. 

“ 

5394 

1 

Santa  Fe,  N.  M. 

W.  J.  Howard. 

Alcoholic. 

5536 

1 

East  of  Fort  Colville. 

A.  Campbell. 

“ 

5583 

6 

Puget  Sound. 

it 

7004 

1 

a it 

536S 

1 

T 

Fort  Steilacoom,  W.  T. 

Dr.  Geo.  Suckley, 

5444 

1 

a tt  a 

« 

Dry. 

5446  , 

1 

tt  tt  tt 

“ “ “ 

5434 

6 

tt  a u y 

“ “ “ 

Alcoholic. 

7005 

1 

San  Francisco,  Cal. 

R.  D.  Cutts. 

5437 

1 

Monterey,  Cal. 

W.  Huttou. 

1207 

1 

A.  S.  Taylor. 

16 

6368 

17 

Fort  Tejon,  Cal. 

"John  Xantus. 

5405 

1 

Fort  Yuma,  Ariz. 

Maj.Geo.  H.  Thomas, 

5537 

2 

“ “ 

“ il  [U.S.A. 

5533 

1 

Cape  St.  Lucas. 

John  Xantus. 

5402 

1 

“ “ 

cc 

5398 

1 

SYNOTUS,  Keyserling  & Blasius. 

Synotus,  Keyserling  & Blasius,  Wiegm.  Archiv  fiir  Naturg.  1839. 

Ears  very  large ; outer  border  extended  anteriorly  as  far  as 
the  tragus ; large  excrescences  on  either  side  of  the  nose  con- 
tinuous with  the  inner  border  of  the  ear ; semicircular  fold  on 
the  base  of  the  outer  border  of  the  ear ; no  tongue-shaped 
appendage  at  the  base  of  the  inner  border,  as  in  Plecotus. 

The  genus  Synotus,  as  represented  by  Keyserling  & Blasius, 
includes  both  the  species  found  in  the  United  States.  It  is 
closely  allied  to  Plecotus  (a  European  genus),  as  both  are  to 
Vespertilio. 

Fig.  60. 


S.  macrotis. 


SYNOTUS. 


63 


Skull. — Rather  large.  Cranium  inflated  ; a small  median  de- 
pression on  the  face.  No  occipital  crest. 

Dentition. 

5 14  15 

Molars  — Canines  — Incisors — . Canines — . Molars —36  teeth. 

6 16  16 

Upper  Jaw. — Incisors  separated  by  a median  space.  The 
centrals  larger  than  laterals,  converging,  not  bifid.  The  late- 
rals very  small  and  simple.  Canines  moderate,  with  a minute 
basal  cusp  anteriorly.  First  premolar  very  small ; second  with 
a large  external  and  small  internal  cusp.  The  molars  not 
peculiar. 

Lower  Jaw . — Incisors  minutely  trifid.  Canines  with  a minute 
basal  cusp  anteriorly.  Of  the  premolars  the  first  and  second  are 
small,  and  about  equal ; the  third  much  larger  though  simple. 


Synotus  macrotis,  Allen. 

The  Big-eared  Bat. 

Fig.  61.  Fig.  62. 


Plecotus  macrotis , Leconte,  Cuv.  Animal  Kingdom  (McMurtrie  ed.),  Appen- 
dix 1, 1831,  431. 

Plecotus  lecontii,  Cooper,  Ann.  Lyc.  N.  Y.  IV,  1837,  72. 

Synotus  lecontii , Wagner,  Schreb.  Saug.  V,  1855,  720. 


64 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS 


Description.  — Head  flat,  not  very  broad ; face  moderately 
hairy.  Lips  thin,  compressed.  Facial  crest  elevated  on  a line 
with  the  nostrils,  which  are  small  apertures  with  membranous 
edges,  wider  externally  than  internally.  They  open  almost 
laterally,  and  have  between  them  a shallow  concavity.  Ears 
very  large,  slightly  haired  at  internal  border.  The  tragus  is  one- 
half  the  height  of  the  ear,  straight  on  the  inner  edge,  diverging 
on  the  outer,  with  a circular  lobe  at  the  base  almost  at  right 
angles  to  the  tragus  proper.  Hair  long,  fine  and  soft.  Above 
it  is  dark  at  base — almost  blackish ; tips  dusky,  approaching  to 
brown.  The  base  of  ear  covered  with  hair — a delicate  line  ex- 
tending up  the  internal  border. 

The  fur  of  the  belly  is  like # that  of  the  back,  blackish  at  base 
with  grayish  tips  running  to  white  toward  the  pubis.  Inter- 
femoral  membrane  naked  ; base  of  thumb  naked.  Thumb  and  foot 
slender ; a few  long  hairs  are  seen  on  the  back  of  the  latter. 

Originally  described  by  Major  Leconte,  this  species  was  re- 
named by  Mr.  Cooper,  as  above  cited.  This  naturalist  argued 
that  the  inappropriate  title  was  sufficient  excuse  for  rendering  it 
obsolete.  In  reproducing  the  appellation  of  Leconte,  I con- 
sider that,  however  unfortunate  an  author’s  selection  of  a specific 
name  may  be,  this  alone  is  no  reason  why  he  should  be  deprived 
of  the  right  to  the  priority  of  the  description. 

Hab.  Confined  to  the  South  Atlantic  States. 

I am  informed  by  Prof.  Baird,  that  specimens  of  a Synotus, 
probably  of  this  species,  were  received  some  years  ago  by  the 
Smithsonian  Institution,  from  Meadville,  Pa.,  but  that  they  have 
become  in  some  way  misplaced  and  are  not  now  to  be  found. 


Measurements. 


Current 

number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

o 

"br^ 

a * 

<D 

Length  of 
forearm. 

Length  of 
tibia. 

bo 

a 

<4-, 

O 

* $ 

g* 

Length  of 
thumb. 

Height  of 
ear. 

O 

-Q  bo 

*53 

K 

Expanse. 

Nature  of 
specimen. 

5232 

l.S 

1.7 

1.7 

0 8 

2.8 

0.4 

1.1 

0.6 

9.6 

Alcoholic. 

1.8 

1.7 

? 

0 8 

2.6 

0.4 

1.1 

0.6 

9.4 

1377 

1.6 

1.6 

L6 

0.9 

2.8 

0.4 

1.0 

0.6 

9.0 

Dry. 

4727 

1.9 

1.8 

1.7 

0.9 

2.8 

0.5 

1.2 

0.7 

11.0 

44 

890 

1.10 

1.8 

1.7 

0.8 

2.S 

0.5 

1.1 

0.6 

10.9 

SYNOTUS. 


05 


List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Spec'n. 

5451 

1 

S.  Carolina. 

W.  Cooper. 

Dry. 

5526 

1 

S.  Carolina. 

5453 

1 

Society  Hills,  S.  C. 

M.  A.  Curtis. 

“ 

5450 

1 

<<  <( 

“ 

5452 

1 

Kemper  Co.,  Miss. 

D.  C.  Lloyd. 

“ 

5407 

1 

Eutaw,  Ala. 

Prof.  Winchell. 

Alcoholic. 

1 

2 

? 

Dry. 

5234 

1 

Micanopy,  Fla. 

“U.  S.” 

Dr.  Bean. 

Alcoholic. 

4727 

1. 

Major  Leconte. 

Dry. 

5232 

1 

Santa  Fe. 

W.  J.  Howard. 

Alcoholic. 

Synotus  townsendi,  Wagner. 

Fig.  63.  Fig.  64. 


Plecotus  townsendi,  Cooper,  Ann.  Lyc.  N.  Y.  IV,  1837,  73. 
Synotus  townsendi , Wagner,  Sclireb.  Saug.  V,  1855,  720. 


This  species  resembles  the  above,  but  is  considerably  stouter, 
the  membranes  somewhat  lighter ; face  broader  and  more  elongate. 
The  crests  are  high  and  well  defined,  with  the  wart  between  the 
internal  border  of  ear  and  mouth  larger  than  in  S.  macrotis.  The 
tragus  is  of  the  same  general  shape,  with  the  marked  lobe  at  base. 
At  the  lower  part  of  the  outer  border  near  the  angle  of  the  mouth 
the  small  internal  lobe  is  seen  as  in  the  preceding  species.  Limbs 
slender ; thumb  and  foot  rather  small. 

5 


66 


NORTH  AMERICAN  EATS. 


Hair  everywhere  thick,  fine,  and  long.  Brown  above,  not  so 
markedly  bicolored  as  in  S.  macrotis,  but  only  of  a slightly  darker 
hue  at  base.  It  is  lighter  in  front,  where  it  assumes  a slightly 
ferruginous  brown  color  at  base.  The  back  of  the  foot  but 
slightly  furred.  But  slight  variation  in  color  in  the  different 
individuals.  Dentition  as  in  the  preceding  species,  excepting  that 
the  central  incisors  of  the  upper  jaw  are  more  distinctly  bifid  at 
cutting  edge. 

Hab.  Central  region  of  the  United  States. 


Measurements. 


Current 

number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail.  ’ 

Length  of 
forearm. 

Length  of 
tibia. 

Length  of 

longest  finger. 

Length  of 
thumb. 

Height  of 
ear. 

I Height  of 

1 tragus. 

Expanse. 

Nature  of 
specimen. 

5231 

1.9 

1.9 

1 8 

O.S 

2.10 

0.4 

1.2 

0.7 

11.0 

Alcoholic. 

5230a 

1.9 

1.8 

1.9 

0 8 

2.9 

0 4 

| 1.3 

0.7 

11.0 

“ 

52306 

1.9 

1.7 

1.9 

0.9 

2.10 

0.4 

1.3 

0.6 

11  0 

<c 

5230c 

1.9 

1.9 

1.8 

I 0 8 

2.9 

0 4 

i 1 2 

0.6 

10.6 

5230 d 

1.9 

1.9 

1.9 

i 0.8 

2.10 

0.4 

1-2 

0.7 

10  6 

5230 e 

1.8* 

1.9 

1.8 

0.8 

2 11 

0 4 

1.2 

0.6 

10.0 

“ 

5230/ 

1.9 

1.9 

1.9 

0.9 

2 11 

0.4 

| 1.3 

0 7 

11.0 

5230 g 

1.9 

1.8 

1.8 

0.8 

2.10 

0.4 

1 1.2 

0.6 

10.6 

List  of  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  ofSp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of  Spec’m.- 

5231 

1 

Upper  Missouri. 

Dr.  F.  V.  Hayden. 

Alcoholic. 

5230 

7 

Utah. 

Capt.  J.  H.  Simpson.1 

* Collected  by  C.  S.  McCarthy. 


ANTROZOTJS,  Allen. 

Antrozous,  Allen,  Proc.  Phila.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  1862,  247. 

Head  rather  large  ; nose  high,  tapering,  narrow  ; snout  angu- 
lar, blunt ; nostrils  apical,  outer  borders  joining  above  in  a trans- 
verse line  ; eyes  large  ; ears  longer  than  head,  not  joined. 


ANTROZOTJS. 


67 


Fig.  65. 


A.  pallidus. 

Shull  long,  not  depressed,  slightly  crested  at  posterior  part, 
tapering  anteriorly. 

Dentition . 

Molars  — . Canines  Incisors  Canines  — . Molars  — ==  28  teeth. 

5 14  15 

Upper  Jaw. — The  superior  incisors  large,  pointed,  separated 
by  a narrow  space.  Canines  well  developed,  with  a small  basal 
internal  cusp.  No  small  premolar  posterior  to  canine,  as  in 
Lasiurus  ; molars  as  in  that  genus. 

Lower  Jaw. — Incisors  trilobed,  the  two  centrals  placed  ante- 
riorly to  laterals.  Canines  with  an  acute  basal  cusp  which  nearly 
touches  the  second  premolar.  The  first  premolar  simple  and 
smaller  than  the  second.  Molars  not  peculiar. 

This  genus  differs  from  Vespertilio  in  the  high  and  slender 
snout ; the  crested  and  narrow  skull ; the  elevated  broad  ears, 
and  in  having  one  incisor  less  on  either  side  in  the  upper  and 
lower  jaw.  Indeed,  the  latter  fact  is  alone  sufficient  to  separate 
it,  for  although  the  incisors  in  the  upper  jaw  as  a general  rule 
are  subject  to  considerable  variation,  a departure  from  the  usual 
number  in  the  lower  jaw  is  a matter  of  more  significance. 
Antrozous  is  the  only  instance  in  this  extensive  family  of  such 
variation. 

Major  Leconte  (Proc.  Phila.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  VII,  1855,  437) 
described  a bat  from  California  under  the  name  Vespertilio 
pallidus.  The  changes  which  have  taken  place  in  the  classifica- 
tion of  Cheiroptera  of  late  years,  and  especially  the  greatly 


68 


NORTH  AMERICAN  BATS. 


restricted  sense  in  which  the  genus  Vespertilio  is  now  received, 
is  sufficient  apology  for  the  insertion  of  this  hat  under  the  genus 
above  proposed. 


Autrozous  pallidas^  Allen. 

The  Pale  Bat 

Fig.  66.  Fig.  67. 


Vespertilio  pallidus , Leconte,  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  VII,  1855,  43. — Baikd, 
U.  S.  and  Mex.  Bound.  Survey,  Report  II,  1858,  pi.  i,  fig.  1. 

Description. — Head  slightly  hairy,  and  of  a light  brown  color, 
A small  wart  over  each  eye ; a larger  one  between  outer  border 
of  ear  and  angle  of  mouth,  and  another  under  the  lower  jaw. 
Ears  high,  elliptical,  furred  at  base  posteriorly ; a slip  of  fur 
running  up  along  the  inner  border ; a similar,  but  narrower  slip, 
running  up  along  the  anterior  part  of  the  ear.  Tragus  half  as 
high  as  auricle,  lanceolate,  in  many  instances  terminating  in  a 
fine  point,  sometimes  in  a blunt  one ; straight  on  inner  border, 
diverging  on  outer,  where  it  is  finely  crenulate.  The  outer  border 
of  the  ear  does  not  reach  the  angle  of  the  mouth  by  a distance  of 
three  lines.  Feet  rather  large  ; calcaneum  moderate. 

Two  varieties  of  color  are  observed  in  this  species — the  fawn 
and  the  yellowish-brown.  The  first  was  the  one  described  by 
Major  Leconte.  This  author  says  :•  “ Hair  light  fawn  colored, 
tip  with  darker,  beneath  paler.”  The  yellowish-brown  may  thus 
be  described : Hair  above  light  brown  at  base,  darker  at  tips ; 
below  lighter  brown  not  tipped.  In  some  instances  the  brown 


ANTROZOUS. 


69 


tip  above  assumes  a reddish  tinge,  and  the  fur  beneath  becomes 
almost  white.  The  interfemoral  membrane  is  entirely  naked. 
At  the  base  of  the  thumb  a few  brown  hairs  are  found. 


Measurements. 


Current 

number. 

Original 

number. 

From  tip  of 
nose  to  tail. 

Length  of 
tail. 

Length  of 
forearm. 

Length  of 
tibia. 

Length  of 

longest  finger. 

Length  of 

thumb. 

Height  of 

ear. 

O to 

« 3 
$0 
U g 

'5  -« 

Expanse. 

Nature  of 

^ specimen. 

152 

2.10 

2.0 

2.0 

0 9 

3.0 

0.4 

0.10 

0.6 

12.0 

Dry. 

538 

2.0 

? 

2.0 

0.8 

3.0 

0.5 

0.9 

0.5 

10.6 

521 

2.4 

? 

1.10 

0.8 

3.0 

0.5 

0.10 

0.5 

11.0 

8S9 

1.6 

2.0 

0.9 

3.4 

0.5 

1.0 

0.4 

11.0 

887 

? 

? 

2.0 

0.9 

3.0 

0.5 

0.10 

? 

•? 

431 

2.6 

7 

2.0 

0.9 

3.4 

0.5 

0.10 

0.6 

ii  6 

<4 

85- 

2.0 

1.6 

1.11 

1.0 

3.0 

0.4 

0.10 

0 6 

11.0 

173 

2.0 

1.6 

2.0 

1.0 

3.0 

0.5 

0.12 

0.7 

11.2 

2.4 

1.6 

2.0 

0.10 

3.4 

0.5 

1.1 

0.7 

11.6 

(4 

45, 

2.5 

1.9 

2.0 

0.9 

3.5 

0.5 

1.0 

0.7 

12.0 

List  op  Specimens. 


Cat.  No. 

No.  of  Sp. 

Locality. 

Presented  by 

Nature  of-Spec’n.. 

152 

1 

El  Paso.  (Boundary  Sur- 

J.  H.  Clark.  (Type.) 

Dry. 

5241 

1 

San  Elizario,  Tex.[vey.) 

Dr.  C.  B.  Kennerly. 

Alcoholic. 

5240 

1 

Ft.  Bliss,  N.  M. 

Dr.  S.  W.  Crawford. 

“ 

5455 

1 

Ft.  Dalles,  Oregon. 

Dr.  Geo.  Suckley. 

Dry. 

538 

1 

Posa  Creek,  Cal. 

Dr.  A.  L.  Heermann. 

“ 

521 

1 

Tejon  Valley. 

“ “ 

“ 

5238 

1 

Ft.  Tejon,  Cal. 

John  Xantus. 

Alcoholic. 

5237 

5 

“ “ 

“ 

5239 

4 

Ft.  Yuma,  Cal. 

Maj.  G.  H.  Thomas. 

“ 

5236 

19 

Cape  St.  Lucas. 

John  Xantus. 

Fig.  68. 


A.  pallidus. 


. 

* 


■ 


. 


APPENDIX. 


Ix  order  to  enable  the  student  to  decide  for  liimself  in  regard  to  the 
many  doubtful  or  unidentified  species  of  authors  cited  in  the  foregoing 
pages,  the  descriptions  themselves  are  reproduced  in  the  present  appendix. 


A. 

Rafinesque. — American  Monthly  Magazine,  III,  1811,  445. 

1.  V.  mystax.  (Whisker  Bat). — Tail  two-fifths  of  total  length ; upper 
incisors  none,  lower  6 ; two  warts  at  the  lower  jaw  ; body  entirely  fallow, 
top  of  the  head  brownish ; ears  brown,  auriculated,  longer  than  the  head. 
Length,  5 inches  ; breadth,  14  inches. 

2.  V.  kumeralis.  (Black-shoulder  Bat.) — Tail  three-sevenths  ; upper 
incisors  2,  remote  ; lower  6 ; body  dark  brown  above,  shoulders  black  ; 
gray  beneath  ; wings,  tail,  ears,  and  snout  blackish ; eyes  under  the  hair ; 
ears  longer  than  the  head,  elliptical,  auriculated.  Length,  3J  inches  ; 
breadth,  11  inches. 

3.  V.  tesselatus.  (Netted  Bat.) — Tail  half  of  total  length,  hairy  above; 
upper  incisors  2,  remote ; lower  6 ; body  fallow  above,  pale  dirty  fulvous 
beneath,  with  a faint  fallow  collar ; shoulders  white  ; wings  hairy  at  the 
base,  with  two  hairy  white  spots  above  near  the  thumb  ; membrane  black- 
ish, netted  of  fulvous  internally  and  clotted  of  same  externally ; shafts 
fulvous ; nose  bilobate ; ears  nearly  concealed  by  the  hair.  Length,  4 
inches  ; breadth,  12  inches. 

4.  V.  cyanopterus.  (Blue-wing  Bat.) — Tail  one-third  ; 2 incisors  above, 
6 below ; body  dark  gray  beneath  ; wings  of  a dark  bluish  gray ; shafts 
black  ; ears  auriculated,  longer  than  the  head.  Length,  3 inches  ; breadth, 
10  inches. 

5.  V.  melanotis.  (Black-back  Bat.) — Tail  one-third  above,  gray  beneath  ; 
body  blackish  above,  whitish  beneath ; wings  dark  gray ; shafts  black ; 
ears  auriculated,  rounded.  Length,  4£  inches  ; breadth,  12£  inches. 

( u ) 


APPENDIX. 


72 


6.  V.  calcciratus.  (Spurred  Bat.) — Tail  one-third  ; body  dark  brown 
above,  dark  fallow  beneath ; wings  black ; shafts  rose-colored,  a spur  at 
the  inner  side  of  the  elbow  ; hind  feet  black.  Length,  4 inches  ; breadth, 
12  inches. 

7.  V.  monachus.  (Monk  Bat.) — Tail  one-fourth,  hairy  above,  fringed 
laterally ; body  pale,  fallow  above  and  below  ; head  and  neck  covered  with 
a longer  fur  of  a dark  red  fallow  ; wings  dark  gray  ; shafts  red ; hind  feet 
black  ; nose  red  ; ears  concealed  in  fur.  Length,  4 inches  ; breadth,  12 
inches. 

8.  V.  pkaiops.  (Black-faced  Bat.) — Tail  one-third  of  total  length,  naked, 
inucronate ; body  dusky  bay  above,  pale  beneath;  face,  ears,  and  wings 
blackish  ; 4 incisors  in  the  upper  jaw — 2 on  each  side,  divided  by  a large 
flat  wart,  unequal,  the  outside  ones  larger  and  bilobed  ; 6 small  incisors 
in  the  lower  jaw.  Length,  4|  inches  ; breadth,  13  inches. 

9.  V.  megalotis.  (Big-eared  Bat.) — Tail  three-eighths  of  total  length; 
body  dark  gray  above,  pale  gray  beneath ; ears  very  large,  duplicated, 
auricles  nearly  as  long.  Length,  4 inches  ; breadth,  12  inches. 


B. 

Bafinesque. — Annals  of  Nature,  1820,  2. 

1.  N.  sp.  Atalapha  fuscata. — Ears  longer  than  the  head,  auriculated 
and  blackish ; tail  three-sevenths  of  total  length,  jutting  only  by  an  ob- 
tuse point ; body  brownish  above,  grayish  beneath  ; shoulders  and  cheeks 
dark  brown ; hind  feet  blackish  hairy  above ; wings  blackish  brown. — 
Found  in  the  northern  parts  of  New  York,  and  in  Vermont.  Total  length, 
3^  inches.  My  genus  Atalapha  (Preces  des  decouvertes  Somoliogiques) 
contain  all  the  bats  without,  fore  teeth ; there  are  three  or  four  species  of 
them  in  the  United  States  all  blended  u.nder  the  name  of  Vespertilio  (or 
Nociilio ) noveboracensis  by  the  writers. 

1.  N.  g.  iZptesicus. — Four  acute  fore  teeth  to  the  upper  jaw,  in  two 
equal  pairs,  separated  by  a great  interval  and  a large  flat  wart ; each  pair 
has  two  unequal  teeth,  the  outside  tooth  is  much  larger  and  unequally 
bifid,  inside  tooth  small  and  entire ; six  fore  teeth  to  the  lower  jaw,  equal, 
very  small,  close  and  truncate  ; canine  teeth  very  sharp,  curved  and  long ; 
grinders  unequally  trifid  ; snout  plain,  nose  without  appendages  ; ears 
separated,  auriculated  ; tail  mucronate. — This  genus  appears  to  differ  from 
all  those  of  Geoffroy  and  Cuvier,  among  the  extensive  tribe  of  bats.  The 
name  means  house-flyer. 

2.  Eptisecus  melanops. — Fallowish  brown  above,  pale  beneath  ; face, 
ears,  wings,  feet  and  tail  blackish ; ears  oval,  shorter  than  the  head, 
and  wrinkled  ; tail  naked,  one-third  of  total  length,  mucron  one-sixth  of 
the  tail ; posterior  toes  ciliate. — Not  uncommon  in  Kentucky,  Indiana,  &c. 


APPENDIX.  73' 

Total  length,  inches.  I had  noticed  it  under  the  head  of  V.  phaiops,  in 
the  American  Magazine,  vol.  III.  It  comes  often  in  the  house  at  night. 

3.  Eptisecus  my  das. — Fulvous  above,  gray  beneath  ; wings,  ears,  and  tail 
pale  brown  ; shafts  whitish  ; ears  double  the  length  of  head;  tail  naked, 
slightly  mucronate,  nearly  as  long  as  the  body. — I have  observed  it  in  the 
barrens  of  Kentucky,  flying  in  the  houses.  Total  length  three  inches,  of 
the  tail  includes  five-twelfths.  Ears  three-quarters  of  an  inch  long.  I 
mentioned  it  under  the  name  of  V.  midas , in  my  account  of  the  Bats  of  the 
Western  States  (Ann.  Mag.  vol.  III).  I have  since  substituted  two  other 
genera  of  them,  Hypexodon  and  Nycticejus  (Prod.  70,  N.  G.  An.)  ; the 
others  are  probably  Atalaphes.  I know  already  fifteen  species  of  bats  in 
the  United  States— almost  all  new  ones. 

c. 

Major  Leconte. — Cuv.  An.  Kingdom  (McMurtrie’s  ed.),  431. 

I. 

Vespertilio  carolinensis,  Geof. — Anterior  upper  fore  teeth  sub-simple, 
larger  than  the  posterior.  Remarkable  for  a strong  odor  resembling  that 
of  a fox. 

V.  lucifugus,  L.C. — Anterior  upper  fore  teeth  bilobate  ; body  above 
dark  brown,  beneath  cinereous  ; nose  sub-bilobate  ; face  with  a nakedish 
prominence  on  each  side  ; ears  oblong,  naked ; tragus  sublinear,  half  as 
long  as  the  ears  ; tail  projecting  a little  beyond  the  membrane.  Length, 
to  the  insertion  of  the  tail,  2£  inches  ; tail  If  inches. 

V.  noctivagans , L.C. — Anterior  upper  fore  teeth  bilobate,  the  posterior 
sub-simple ; color  black  or  dusty  cinereous  ; hair  on  the  back  and  belly 
tipped  with  gray  ; ears  short,  naked,  roundish  ; tragus  short  and  roundish  ; 
siose  sub-bilobate  ; tail  projecting  a little  beyond  the  interfemoral«mem- 
brane,  which  is  hairy.  Length,  2f  inches  ; tail,  If  inches. 

II. 

Add  Plecotus  macrotis,  L.C.  — Upper  fore  teeth  four,  trilobate,  distant 
by  pairs,  the  posterior  -smaller ; ears  very  long,  pointing  forwards  ; tragus 
subulate,  half  the  length  of  ears. 

III. 

Nycticejus  noveboracensis. — Easily  known  by  its  short  and  round  ears, 
and  by  the  interfemoral  membrane  being  hairy  and  including  the  whole 
of  the  tail.  There  is  a white  spot  at  the  insertion  of  the  wing,  and  another 
at  the  base  of  the  thumb  ; these  marks  are  constant.  This  species  varies 
much  in  color,  and  has  been  called  V.  lasiurus,  Sclireb.,  V.  monachus  by 
some,  and  is  figured  in  Wils.  Orn.  YI,  pi.  4,  whence  it  has  been  quoted  by 
M.  Cuvier  as  the  Taphozous . 


74 


APPENDIX. 


Nyc.  crepuscularis , L.C. — Above  brown,  beneath  paler;  a small  black 
wart  above  each  eye ; nose  somewhat  bilobate  ; chin  with  a small  double 
wart;  ears  moderate;  tragus  small,  subulate;  tail  projecting  a little  * 
beyond  the  membrane. 

Nyc.  cynocephala , L.C. — The  posterior  fore  tooth  on  each  side  smaller 
than  the  rest,  which  are  emarginate ; nose  furnished  on  the  top  and  sides 
with  stiff  short  bristles  ; lips  very  large,  somewhat  pendulous ; ears 
broad,  round,  naked  ; tragus  not  apparent ; tail  long,  extending  far  beyond 
the  membrane ; outer  and  inner  toes  of  the  hind  feet  woolly  on  the  outside, 
the  rest  with  each  two  long  hairs  on  the  top. 

D. 

Palisot  de  Beauvois.  — Descriptions  of  L.  cinereus  and  S. 
fuscus,  from  Pamphlet. 

“ Grey  Bat. — Two  upper  teeth  very  small,  hardly  visible.  Head  whitish  ; 
ears  round  and  flat,  of  a white  color  surrounded  with  black,  and  an  appen- 
dage at  their  base ; hair  grey  at  the  roots,  black  in  the  middle,  and  white 
at  the  ends  ; so  that  the  animal  has  the  appearance  of  being  spotted  with 
white.  This  hair  extends  to  the  membrane  which  surrounds  the  tail'. 

“The  anterior  parts  of  the  membranous  wings  from  the  body  of  the 
projecting  claw,  and  covered  with  hair  on  both  sides.  This  membrane  is 
about  twice  the  size  of  that  in  the  preceding  species” — (L.  novebora- 
cetisis , Auct.) — “The  wings,  extended,  measure  fourteen  inches.  The 
nostrils  are  emarginated. 

“Grey  Bat.  V.  cinereus. 

“ This  is  found  in  Pennsylvania,  and  is  not  described  by  any  author.” 

“ Brown  Bat..-^- The  two  fore  teeth  in  the  upper  jaw  distant  from  one 
auotliy,  near  the  canine  teeth,  and  about  half  their  length  ; ears  naked, 
blackish,  and  of  an  oval  figure,  with  an  appendage  at  their  base.  Tail 
almost  as  long  as  body ; flying  membrane  black ; hair  brown  on  the  sur- 
face, grey  below. 

“ Brown  Bat.  V.  fuscus. 

“ This  is  the  most  common  species  in  the  neighborhood  of  Philadelphia. 

It  very  much  resembles  the  Common  Bat  of  France,  except  in  the  number 
of  teeth  in  the  upper  jaw.” 


E. 

Temminck. — Monographie  de  Mammalogie,  II,  1835,  235.  . 

V.  nr  sinus.  (A  new  species  kindly  furnished  me  by  Prince  Max  ; it  is 
based  upon  the  examination  of  seven  individuals.) — Head  large ; muzzle 
rather  long,  large,  and  but  little  depressed ; nostrils  large,  opening  upon 


APPENDIX. 


15 

the  side  and  crescentic — separated  by  a groove.  Ears  ovoid,  much  higher 
than  the  summit  of  the  head,  the  posterior  border  vertical,  and  slightly 
emarginated  at  the  tip ; tragus  long,  lanceolate,  hut  a little  rounded 
near  the  tip ; the  auricle  is  hairy  at  the  base  of  the  external  part ; the 
thumb  stout,  armed  by  a very  curved  nail ; tail  long,  point  free  ; inter- 
femoral  membrane  marked  beneath  with  parallel  lines  ; claws  of  feet  very 
long,  stout,  and  curved.  Incisor  teeth  above  in  two  close  pairs  ; below  6, 
trilobed.  Molars  above  4,  without  false  ; inferior  with  5,  one  being  a small 
false  molar. 

Fur  long,  soft  and  shining ; above  of  a brown  umber  hue,  the  inferior 
parts  more  clear.  All  the  fur  is  gray  at  the  base.  Membranes  and  ear 
black. 

Length,  3 in.  11  lines — the  tail  taking  1 j inches;  length  of  ear,  4| 
lines  ; expanse  of  wing  membrane,  10  in.  9 lines. 

Hab.  Found  by  Prince  Max  upon  the  banks  of  Missouri  River. 

V.  carolinensis . — Not  so  large  as  V.  serotinus  of  Europe.  Ears  as  long 
as  the  head,  oblong,  and  hairy  one-half  the  length  of  the  external  part  of 
ears.  Nose  a little  blunt,  but  nostrils  approached ; tragus  leaf-shaped, 
erect,  and  half  as  long  as  the  auricle  ; point  of  the  tail  free.  Incisors  4,  iu 
pairs  above,  and  6 below.  Molars  5 throughout. 

Fur  bicolored  throughout ; superior  part  of  a brown  “ marron,”  but  the 
base  of  the  hair  is  ashy  black ; beneath  of  a yellow  ash,  the  base  of  the 
hair  being  brown. 

Total  length,  2,  3 or  5 inches,  of  which  the  tail  constitutes  1 inch ; ex- 
panse, 10  inches. 

Hab.  Charleston,  S.  C. 

V.  phaiops. — The  general  contour  like  that  of  V.  murinus.  Point  of  tail 
free ; tail  not  so  long,  strongly  “ sloped”  out  on  external  border,  with  a lobe 
cut  out  behind.  Tragus  an  erect  leaf.  Superior  incisors  4 ; the  external 
are  bilobed,  and  are  larger  than  the  internal.  Inferior  6.  Molars  4 above 
and  5 below. 

Hair  short  and  unicolored  throughout,  glosSy,  above  brown,  with  a tinge 
of  red,  below  it  is  of  clearer  hue  ; face  and  membranes  blackish. 

Length,  4 in.  4 lines,  or  5 inches — the  tail  being  2 inches  ; expanse  of 
wing  membrane,  12  to  13  inches  ; antibrachium,  1 in.  $ lines. 

This  is  the  Black-faced  Bat  of  Rafinesque,  of  which  there  is  mention 
made  in  Desm.  Mam.  in  a note. 

Hab.  N.  A. ; our  animal  comes  from  Tennessee. 

- V.  pulverulentus. — Resembles,  in  the  color  of  the  superior  fur,  V.  discolor  ; 
but  differs  from  it  in  its  lesser  size,  in  the  interfemoral  being  hairy  on  both 
sides,  and  in  the  difference  of  color  of  the  belly.  Muzzle  large  and  obtuse  ; 
ears  larger  than  high,  rounded,  oneThalf  haired ; tragus  hatchet-shaped  ; 
tail  short ; interfemoral  very  hairy  above,  but  less  at  the  point  than  at 
the  base,  that  beneath  of  a clear  “ voie,”  and  in  concentric  lines  ; the  toes 
furred  above. 


76 


APPENDIX. 


Fur  long,  soft,  bicolored  throughout,  the  superior  and  inferior  parts  are 
of  the  same  color.  It  is  of  a deep  marron,  the  point  only  being  touched 
with  white,  the  hairs  “ clair  sermes,”  arranged  in  horizontal  lines  upon  the 
inferior  part  of  the  interfemoral  membrane,  are  white. 

Length,  3 in.  6 lines,  of  which  the  tail  is  1 in.  3 lines ; expanse,  10 
inches  ; antibraclx.,  1 in.  6 lines. 

This  species  was  furnished  us  by  Prince  Max  Wied,  who  obtained  it  in 
the  mountain  recesses  of  North  America.  Ours  come  from  the  borders  of 
Missouri. 

V.  caroli. — Tail  the  form  of  our  V.  pipistrellus,  but  the  ears  are  longer. 
Face  obtuse  ; nostrils  very  much  separated ; ears  are  of  medium  size,  ovoid, 
slightly  emarginate  on  their  external  border  without  having  a lobe  or  pro- 
longation. Upper  incisors  4,  in  pairs  above,  and  6 below.  Molars  6 in 
all ; the  two  first  false  molars  of  the  upper  jaw  very  small,  short  and 
pointed.  Fur  bicolored  throughout.  Face,  sides  of  neck,  and  all  of  the 
superior  part  of  a reddish  brown,  with  black  at  the  base ; beneath  of  a 
yellowish-white  at  the  point,  with  a deep  brown  at  base,  which  in  some 
parts  is  of  a faint  yellowish-asli.  The  young  have  a more  sombre  hue. 
The  extreme  tip  only  of  the  superior  parts  is  brown ; that  of  the  inferior 
is  of  a deep  brown. 

Total  length,  3 in.  3 lines,  the  tail  of  which  is  1 in.  and  4 lines  ; expanse 
of  wing  membrane,  8 in.  6 lines  ; antibracliium,  1 in.  4 lines  ; height  of 
ear  from  skull  to  the  tip,  5 lines.  The  young  have  an  expanse  of  7 in.  10 
lines  to  8 inches. 

The  Museum  has  obtained  from  Prince  de.Musignano— Chas.  Bonaparte — 
many  individuals  of  this  species. 

Iiab.  N.  America,  around  the  environs  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia. 

V.  erytb.ro da ctylus. — Less  than  the  V.  pipistrellus.  The  forearm,  base  of 
fingers,  and  the  interdigital  membrane  of  the  first  finger  is  reddish,  the 
other  membranes  are  black.  Ears  haired  from  their  base  the  greater 
portion  of  their  height,  small,  ovoidal.  Tragus  subulate  ; tail  very  long, 
point  free ; interfemoral  membrane  haired  above  ; beneath  the  hairs  are 
arranged  along  the  veins  ; it  is  of  a silky  texture,  very  short,  and  sparingly 
distributed.  Incisors  4,  in  pairs  above,  and  6 below.  Five  molars  in  all, 
only  one  false  molar  in  the  upper  jaw. 

Fur  long,  fine  and  silky  ; above  tricolored,  beneath  bicolored.  All  the 
superior  parts  of  a faint  brownish  red  ; but  a little  yellow  about  the  head 
and  neck  ; the  hairs  are  black  at  their  base,  afterwards  yellow  and  the  tip 
brownish  red  ; superior  part  of  interfemoral  membrane  very  furry  ; be- 
neath brown  at  base  and  brownish  red  at  tip  ; the  sides  of  the  interfemoral 
covered  with  sparse  hairs. 

Leneth  of  tail,  2 in.  10  lines,  or  3 in.  maximum,  that  of  tail  1 in.  4 lines  ; 
forearm,  1 in.  2 lines ; expanse  of  wing  membrane,  7 in.  6 lines,  or  8 in. 
maximum. 

The  Museum  duPays  Bas  possesses  many  individuals  of  this  supposed 


APPENDIX. 


n 

new  species,  for  which  we  are  indebted  to  Prince  de  Musignano ; these 
specimens  are  preserved  in  alcohol,  and  are  part  of  the  same  invoice  as  the 
preceding  species.  Vesp.  calcaratus,  indicated  by  M.  Rafinesque,  has  the 
wing  membranes  about  the  fingers  red  above ; but  it  is  much  larger,  and 
the  coloration  of  the  fur  is  considerably  different. 

Hab.  North  America,  about  the  environs  of  Philadelphia. 

V.  ferrugineus. — Style  of  V.  daubentonii , of  Europe.  Nose  short,  obtuse  ; 
ears  narrow,  a little  scooped  out  on  the  posterior  border  and  towards  the 
tip ; tragus  short,  subulate.  Tail  very  long,  point  free,  the  basal  portion 
covered  with  hair ; the  claws  of  the  hind  feet  are  of  a whitish  yellow. 
Upper  incisors  4,  in  pairs,  internal  long  “ biseam”  at  point ; the  external 
short,  bifurcated  ; inferior  incisors  6.  Upper  molars  4 ; lower  5,  with  one 
false  molar. 

Hair  short,  smooth,  bicolored  ; above  the  color  of  a dead  leaf,  or  more  or 
less  reddish  ; the  base  of  the  hair  is  of  a brownish  black  beneath  ; all  the 
hair  at  its  base  is  of  a faint  blackish  red,  and  the  point  pure  white.  These 
two  hues  of  the  hair  form  a sort  of  black  and  white  mixture  which  is  very 
conspicuous.  The  membranes  of  the  ears,  having  been  immersed  in  alco- 
hol, are  of  a brownish  red. 

Total  length,  4 in.,  or  2 lines  longer,  that  of  the  tail  1 in.  9 lines  ; 
humerus,  1 in.  ; forearm,  1 in.  8 lines  ; anal  expanse,  10  in.  or  6 lines  longer. 

This  species,  based  upon  the  examination  of  many  alcoholic  specimens, 
is  new. 

Hab.  Holland  Guiana.  (Museum  Pays  Bas : from  the  environs  of 
Surinam.) 

E. 

Say. — Long’s  Expedition  to  the  Rocky  Mts.  II,  65,  note. 

Vespertilio  subulatus. — A small  bat  was  shot  this  evening,  during  the 
twilight,  as  it  flew  rapidly  in  various  directions  over  the  surface  of  the 
creek.  It  appears  to  be  an  immature  specimen,  as  the  molars  are  re- 
markably long  and  acute ; the  canines  are  very  much  incirrved,  and  the 
right  inferior  one  is  singularly  bifid  at  tip — the  divisions  resembling  short 
bristles.  This  species  is,  beyond  a doubt,  distinct  from  the  Carolina  Bat 
( V.  carolinensis,  Geof.),  with  which  the  ears  are  proportionately  equally 
elongated,  and,  as  in  that  bat,  a little  ventricose  on  the  anterior  edge,  so 
as  almost  to  extend  over  the  eye  ; but  the  tragus  is  much  longer,  narrower, 
and  more  acute,  resembling  that  of  V.  emarginatus,  Geof.,  as  well  in  form 
as  in  proportion  to  the  length  of  the  ear.  We  call  it  V.  subulatus,  and  it 
may  be  thus  describee?:  Ears  longer  than  broad,  nearly  as  long  as  the 
head,  hairy  on  the  basal  half,  a little  ventricose  on  the  anterior  edge  and 
extending  near  to  the  eye ; tragus  elongated,  subulate ; the  hair  above 
blackish  at  base,  tip  dull  cinereous  ; the  interfemoral  membrane  hairy  at 
base,  the  hairs  unicolored,  and  a few  also  scattered  over  its  surface,  and 


78 


APPENDIX. 


along  its  edge,  as  well  as  that  of  the  brachial  membrane ; hair  beneath 
black,  the  tip  yellowish-white  ; hind  feet  rather  long,  a few  setae  extending 
over  the  nails  ; only  a minute  portion  of  the  tail  protrudes  beyond  the 
membrane. 

Total  length,  2 9-10  inches  ; tail,  1 1-5  inches. 


G. 

M.  F.  Cuvier.1 — Nouv.  Annales  du  Museum  d’Hist.  Nat.  1832, 15. 

1.  Vespertilio  gryphus. — The  head  is  like  that  of  the  Murinoid  group  of 
bats.  To  the  molars  proper  of  which  is  united  two  additional  false  molars 
on  both  sides  of  either  jaw.  The  ear  is  emarginated,  and  the  tragus  is 
knife-shaped.  All  the  superior  parts  of  the  body  are  of  a whitish  yellow, 
the  inferior  parts  are  gray,  but  the  base  of  the  fur  on  both  sides  is  of  a 
blackish  color.  Whiskers  are  present  on  each  side  of  the  upper  lip  and 
on  the  extremity  of  the  lower  jaw. 

Length  of  body,  from  the  tip  of  nose  to  base  of  tail,  1 in.  9 lines  ; length 
of  tail,  1 in.  2 lines  ; expanse  of  wing  membranes,  7 in.  10  lines. 

IIab.  Environs  of  New  York.  (M.  Milbert.) 

2.  V.  salarii . — The  head  is  like  that  of  the  Murinoid  group  of  bats.  To 
the  molars  proper  of  which  is  united  the  presence  of  two  false  molars  on 
both  sides  of  either  jaw.  The  ear  is  emarginate,  and  the  tragus  lanceo- 
late. The  superior  parts  of  the  body  are  of  a brown  cliestnut-gray,  and 
the  inferior  parts  a grayish  white.  There  is  more  of  the  brown  color  at 
the  basal  portion  of  the  fur  than  at  the  upper.  Whiskers  are  present  on 
the  sides  of  the  upper  lip  and  at  the  extremity  of  the  lower  jaw. 

Length  of  body,  from  tip  of  nose  to  the  base  of  tail,  1 in.  6 lines  ; length 
of  tail,  1 in.  7 lines  ; expanse  of  wing  membranes,  7 in.  7 lines. 

IIab.  Environs  of  New  York.  (M.  Milbert.) 

3.  V.  creeks . — The  head  of  the  Serotinoid  group  of  bats.  No  false  molars 
on  upper  jaw,  and  one  only  infeiiorly;  the  ear  is  emarginate,  the  tragus 
lanceolate  ; the  upper  parts  are  of  a brown  yellow,  the  inferior  parts  of  a 
dirty  gray  ; the  hairs  of  all  the  parts  are  black  at  their  base.  Whiskers 
are  present  on  the  sides  of  the  muzzle  and  beneath  upon  the  lower  jaw. 

Length  of  body,  from  tip  of  nose  to  the  base  of  the  tail,  2 inches ; 
length  of  tail,  1 inch  ; expanse  of  wing  membranes,  9 inches. 

IIab.  Georgia.  (Major  Leconte.) 


1 M.  Cuvier  designated  by  the  term  “ Muri'noid*group”  those  species  of 
Cheiroptera  since  placed  under  the  genus  Vespertilio.  In  the  ilSerotinoid 
group ” he  placed  those  species  now  included  in  Scotophilus.  The  names 
are  taken  respectively  from  two  well  known  European  species — V.  murinus 
and  V.  serotinus. 


APPENDIX. 


T9 


4.  V.  crassus . — The  head  is  like  that  of  the  Murinoid  group  of  hats. 
Two  false  molars  on  each  side  of  the  two  jaws  ; the  ears  are  obtuse,  the 
tragus  is  lanceolate.  All  the  superior  parts  of  the  body  of  a brown 
cliestnut-gray,  and  the  inferior  parts  whitish ; the  fur  at  its  base  is  darker 
tinted  than  its  tips.  Moustaches  are  present  on  the  upper  lip  and  upon 
the  lower  jaw. 

Length  of  body,  from  tip'of  nose  to  base  of  tail,  2 inches  ; length  of  tail, 
1 in.  8 lines  ; expanse  of  wing  membranes,  8 in.  8 lines. 

This  species  was  collected  by  M.  Leseuer,  who  sent  it  from  New  York, 
under  the  name  which  I have  retained. 

5.  V.  georgianus. — The  head  is  like  that  of  the  Murinoid  group  of  bats. 
The  ear  is  emarginate,  and  the  tragus  is  subulate.  All  the  superior  parts 
of  the  body  are  colored  by  a mixture  of  black  and  whitish  yellow ; the 
black  mostly,  inasmuch  as  the  points  of  the  hair  are  whitish,  the  re- 
mainder being  black.  The  inferior  parts  are  gray,  but  mixed  with  black 
from  the  same  cause  which  colors  the  superior  portions.  Moustaches  are 
present  on  the  sides  of  the  upper  lips  and  upon  the  lower  jaw. 

Length  of  body,  from  tip  of  nose  to  base  of  tail,  1 in.  6 lines  ; length 
of  tail,  1 in.  2 lines  ; expanse  of  wing  membranes,  7 in.  2 lines. 

Hub.  Georgia.  (Major  Leconte.) 

6.  V.  subjiavus. — The  head  is  like  that  of  the  Murinoid  group  of  bats. 
The  ear  is  emarginated,  the  tragus  is  half  heart-shaped.  The  inferior 
parts  of  the  body  are  of  a clear  whitish-gray,  slightly  waved  with  brown ; 
the  superior  parts  are  of  a white  yellow  ; the  hairs  of  the  superior  parts  are 
black  at  their  base,  whitish  through  the  greater  part  of  their  length,  and 
brownish  at  their  tips ; that  of  the  inferior  parts  are  black  at  their  basal 
portions,  and  of  a whitish  yellow  at  their  outer.  Moustaches  are  present 
on  the  sides  of  the  upper  lip  and  beneath  upon  the  lower  jaw. 

Length  of  body,  from  tip  of  nose  to  the  base  of  the  tail,  1 in.  6 lines ; 
length  of  the  tail,  1 in.  3 lines  ; expanse  of  wing  membranes,  7 in.  2 lines. 

Hah.  Georgia.  (Major  Leconte.) 


H. 

J.  J.  Audubon  and  the  Pvev.  John  Bachman,  D.  D. — Journal 
Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Phila.  1842,  280. 

Vespertilio  monticola.  (Mountain  Bat.) — V.  vespertilione  subulata 
brevior ; auriculus  brevioribus  ; tragus  non  excedentibus,  dimidian  longi- 
tudinem  auriculae  ; colore  fulvo. 

Mountain  Bat. — Smaller  than  Say’s  Bat — (“  V.  subulatus ”) — ears  shorter ; 
tragus  less  than  half  the  length  of  the  ear  ; color  yellowish-brown.  Upper 
fore  teeth  bilobate  ; ears  moderate,  naked,  erect,  rather  broad  at  base  ; 
tragus  linear,  subulate  ; body  small ; wings  long  ; tail  projecting  a line 


80 


APPENDIX. 


beyond  tlie  interfemoral  membrane,  which  is  slightly  sprinkled  with  hair 
above  and  beneath. 

Color. — The  nose  and  chin  are  black  ; ears  light  brown  ; wing  membranes  * 
dark  brown.  The  whole  of  the  fur  of  the  body  above  and  beneath  is,  from 
the  roots,  a uniform  delicate  brown  color. 

This  species  differs  from  Say’s  Bat,  not  only  in  color  but  in  the  much 
shorter  ears  and  tragus.  The  size  and  shape  of  the  tragus  we  have  found 
an  invaluable  guide  in  our  American  bats ; the  ears  of  the  present  species, 
when  alive,  are  always  erect ; whilst  those  of  Say’s  Bat  are  folded  back- 
wards like  those  of  the  long-eared  bats— Plecotus. 


Dentition. — Incisors 


2—2 

6 


Canines 


1—1 
i— i* 


Dimensions. — Length  of  head  and  body,  1 in.  8 lines  ; length  of  tail,  1 
in.  6 lines  ; height  of  ear,  3 lines ; height  of  tragus,  1£  lines. 

N.  B. — The  tragus  in  Say’s  Bat  is  four  and  a half  lines  in  height.  Several 
specimens  of  this  bat  were  obtained  during  the  summer,  on  the  mountains 
of  Virginia  at  the  Gray  Sulphur  Springs.  They  were  uniform  in  size  and 
color. 


V.  virginianus.  (Virginian  Bat.) — V.  vespertilione  monticola  paulu- 
lum  longior,  auriculus  paululum  longioribus  magisque  acutis ; dentibus 
primoribus  maxillae  superioris  simplicibus  ; interfemorali  membrana  nuda; 
corpore  supra  fuligineo-fusco  ; subtus  cinereo-fuscato. 

Virginian  Bat. — A little  larger  than  the  Mountain  Bat ; ears  a little 
longer  and  more  pointed  ; upper  fore  teeth  simple  ; interfemoral  membrane 
naked  ; sooty  brown  above,  ash  brown  beneath. 

2 2 1 1 

Dentition. — Incisors  . Canines . 

6 1—1 

In  size  this  species  is  intermediate  between  V.  carolinensis  and  V.  subu- 
latus.  The  ear  is  naked,  less  rounded,  and  more  pointed  than  either  of  the 
other  closely  allied  species.  The  tragus  is  very  narrow,  linear,  and  less 
than  half  the  length  of  the  ear.  The  tail  is  inclosed  in  the  interfemoral 
membrane,  except  the  penultimate  joint,  which  is  free.  The  anterior 
upper  fore  teeth,  instead  of  being  sub-simple,  as  in  the  V.  carolinensis,  or 
bilobate,  as  in  V.  subulatus  and  V.  montanus,  are  simple. 

Color. — The  nose,  upper  lip,  and  upper  jaw  are  black ; wings  dark 
brown.  The  back  is  sooty  brown  ; on  each  shoulder,  at  the  insertion  of 
the  wing,  there  is  a circular  black  spot  about  four  lines  in  diameter ; on 
the  under  surface  cinereous  brown. 

Dimensions. — Length  of  head  and  body,  2 in.  5 lines  ; length  of  tail,  1 
inch  ; height  of  ear,  4 lines  ; height  of  tragus,  1|  lines. 

Hob.  Mountains  of  Virginia. 

V.  leibii.  (Leib’s  Bat.) — V.  supra  fusco-ferrugineus,  subtus  cinereus, 
alis  auribusque  nigris. 

Leib's  Bat. — Ears  and  wings  black  ; dark  yellowish-brown  above  ; cine- 
reous beneath. 


APPENDIX. 


81 


Description. — Anterior  upper  fore  teeth  bilobate ; head  short ; nose 
blunt ; ears  moderate,  broad  at  base,  erect ; tragus  nearly  linear,  nearly 
half  the  length  of  the  ear ; wings  and  tail  long,  the  latter  extending  two 
lines  beyond  the  interfemoral  membrane,  which  is  naked  ; feet  very  small ; 
toes  short  and  slender ; nails  sharp  and  much  curved  ; hair  soft  and  downy. 

Color. — The  ears, .wings,  and  interfemoral  membrane  are  black.  The 
fur  on  the  back  is  black  from  the  roots  to  near  the  extremities,  where  it 
is  so  slightly  tipt  with  light  brown  as  to  give  it  a dark  yellowish-brown 
appearance.  On  the  under  surface  the  hairs  are  plumbeous  at  the  roots, 
tipt  with  yellowish-white. 

Dentition. — Incisors  - — -.  Canines  - — 1. 

• 6 1—1 

Dimensions. — Length  of  head  and  body,  1 in.  7 lines  ; length  of  tail,  1 
in.  4 lines  ; length  of  spread,  7 inches  ; height  of  ear,  2|  lines ; height  of 
tragus,  1 line. 

Hab.  Michigan. 

V.  californicus.  (Californian  Bat.) — Y.  fusco  lutescens,  vellere  longo 
et  molli;  trago  longitudine  dimidium  auris  excedente. 

Californian  Bat. — With  long  silky  hairs  ; tragus  more  than  half  the 
length  of  the  ear ; color  light  yellowish-brown. 

Description. — Anterior  upper  fore  teeth  bilobate.  Head  small ; nose 
sharp;  ears  of  moderate  size,  erect,  rather  narrow,  and  pointed.  Tragus 
linear,  attenuated.  Wings  of  moderate  length,  which,  together  with  the 
ears,  are  naked.  Interfemoral  membrane  with  a few  scattered  hairs  ; feet 
small ; nails  slightly  hooked.  Tail  projecting  a little  beyond  the  inter- 
femoral membrane. 

Color. — Pelage,  which  is  unusually  long  for  the  size  of  the  body,  and 
very  soft  and  glossy,  is,  on  the  upper  surface,  dark  plumbeous  from 
the  base,  and  broadly  tipped  with  light  yellowish-brown ; on  the  under 
surface  the  color  is  a little  darker,  owing  to  the  outer  extremities  of  the 
hairs  being  more  narrowly  edged  with  the  prevailing  color  on  the  back, 
exhibiting  the  darker  shades  beneath.  The  ears  and  tragus  are  blackish ; 
the  nose,  chin,  wings,  and  interfemoral  membrane  dark  brown. 

Hab. — We  have  obtained  but  a single  specimen,  which  was  captured  at 
California. 

2 2 1 1 

Dentition. — Incisors . Canines  . 

6 1—1 

Dimensions. — Length  of  head  and  body,  1 in.  7 lines ; length  of  tail,  1 
in.  5 lines ; length  of  spread,  7 in.  6 lines  ; height  of  ear,  3 lines  ; height 
of  tragus,  2 lines. 


6 


82 


APPENDIX. 


I. 

Prince  Maximil.  von  Wied. — Verzeieh.  beobach.  Saugethiere 
in  Nord  Amerika,  1862,  19. 

Vespertilio  brevirostris. — Description : Head  very  short ; snout  broad, 
and  but  little  produced  ; ear  tolerably  high,  rather  elliptical,  the  anterior 
border  somewhat  rounded,  the  outer  nearly  straight,  under  the  tip  slightly 
emarginated ; tragus  rather  small,  nearly  lancet-shaped ; the  fur  about 
the  head  very  plentiful,  so  that  the  ey#»s  are  entirely  hidden. 

Dentition. — The  specimen  of  this  bat  is  lost,  so  I cannot  therefore  furnish 
the  dentition. 

The  expansion  of  the  wings  rather  small.  Thumbs  long  and  small,  with 
greatly  curved  nails.  Tail  somewhat  long,  eight  or  nine  joints  lying  on 
the  outer  half  of  the  fur  of  the  interfemoral  membrane,  the  tip,  however, 
is  one  and  a half  to  two  lines  long,  with  the  free  points  exserted  ; the  five 
hind  toes  are  long,  the  nails  weak,  and  sharply  curved ; calcaneum  rather 
long ; fur  thick  about  the  belly,  mouse-like,  that  of  the  back  longer ; 
wing  membranes  near  the  body  are  somewhat  furred. 

Coloration. — Expansion  of  wing  membranes  and  ears  are  dark  brown ; 
upper  portion  of  the  body  dark  yellowish-brown,  the  hair  on  the  outer 
half  fallow  yellowish-brown,  dark  gray  at  the  roots  ; under  portion  whitish 
yellow-gray. 

Measurements. — Entire  length,  3 inches  ; expanse  of  wing  membrane,  9 
in.  4 lines  ; height  of  ears  on  the  upper  side  5^  lines  ; length  of  the  ex- 
posed portion  of  the  tragus,  lines ; the  tail  is  free  from  the  fur  about  1 
in.  5 lines ; length  of  calcaneum,  5 lines. 

I obtained  this  bat  at  Freiburg,  Pennsylvania,  about  the  latter  part  of 
July.  It  flies  about  rather  early  in  the  morning.  We  have  observed  that 
this  bat  resembles  the  other  species  closely,  but  it  is  readily  distinguished 
by  the  shortness  of  the  head,  as  the  name  given  to  it  implies. 


INDEX. 


acetabulosus,  Molossus,  9 
affinis,  Vespertilio,  53 
alcythoe,  Scotophilus,  44 
Antrozous  pallidus,  68 
arcuatus,  Vespertilio,  31 
aristippe,  Scotophilus,  44 
Atalapha  fusca,  72 
auduboni,  Vespertilio,  39,  75 
australis,  Molossus,  6 

blossevillii,  Vespertilio,  16 
bonariensis,  Vespertilio,  16 
bracliypterus,  Dysopes,  6 
brasiliensis,  Nyctinomus,  7 
brevirostris,  Vespertilio,  55,  82 

calcaratus,  Vespertilio,  47.  72 
californicus,  Macrotus,  3 

Vespertilio,  47,  81 
caroli,  Vespertilio,  31,  51,  76 
carolinensis,  Rhinopoma,  7 
Scotophilus,  28 
Vespertilio,  28,  75,  77 
Cheiromeles,  6 
cinereus,  Lasiurus,  21,  33 

Vespertilio,  21,  74 
crassus,  Vespertilio,  35,  79 
creeks,  Vespertilio,  12,  78 
crepuscularis,  Nycticejus,  12,  74 
Vespertilio,  12 

cyanopterus,  Vespertilio,  47,  71 
cynocephalus,  Molossus,  79 

Nycticejus,  74,  78 

daubentonii,  Vespertilio,  56,  71 
Dinops,  6 

discolor,  Scotophilus,  41,  75 
domesticus,  Vespertilio,  51 
Dysopes,  6 

Dysopes  brachypterus,  6 
limbatus,  6 
naso,  7 
nasutus,  7 

Eptisecus,  72 

Eptisecus  melanops,  47,  72 


Eptisecus  melas,  47 
mydas,  73 

erythrodactylus,  Vespertilio,  47,  76 
evotis,  Vespertilio,  48 

ferrugineus,  Vespertilio,  47,  77 
filet,  Tapliyzous,  8 
fuliginosus,  Molossus,  7,  9 
fusca,  Atalapha,  72 
fuscus,  Scotophilus,  31 

Vespertilio,  31,  74 

georgianus,  Scotophilus,  35 
Vespertilio,  79 
Glossophaga,  2 
grayii,  Lasiurus,  19 
greenii,  Scotophilus,  31 
gryphus,  Vespertilio,  31 

hesperus,  Scotophilus,  43 
liumeralis,  Nycticejus,  12 

Vespertilio,  47,  71 
Hypexodon  mystax,  47 

intermedius,  Lasiurus,  25 

Lasiurus,  11,  14 
Lasiurus  cinereus,  21,  33 
grayii,  19 
intermedius,  25 
noveboracensis,  12,  16,  33 
pruinosus,  21 
rufus,  16 

lasiurus,  Nycticejus,  16 
Vespertilio,  16 
lecontii,  Plecotus,  63 
Synotus,  63 

leibii,  Vespertilio,  47,  80 
limbatus,  Dysopes,  6 
lucifugus,  Vespertilio,  55 

macrotis,  Plecotus,  63 
Synotus,  63 
Macrotus,  1 

Macrotus  californicus,  3 
mexicana,  4 

( 83  ) 


84  INDEX. 


Macrotus  waterhousii,  2,  3 
Megadermatidre,  1 
Megaderma,  2 

inegalotis,  Vespertilio,  47,  72 
melanops,  Eptisecus,  47,  72 
inelanotis,  Vespertilio,  47,  71 
melas,  Eptisecus,  47 
mexicana,  Macrotus,  4 
mexicanus,  Nyctinomus,  7 
mierophylla,  Rhinopoma,  8 
Molossus,  6 

Molossus  acetabulosus,  9 
australis,  6 
cynocephalus,  7,  9 
fuliginosus,  7,  9 
natalensis,  9 

monachus,  Vespertilio,  16,  72,  73 
montanus,  Vespertilio,  80 
monticola,  Vespertilio,  35,  47,  79 
murinus,  Nyctinomus,  7 
mydas,  Eptisecus,  73 
mystacinus,  Vespertilio,  60 
mystax,  Hypexodon,  47 

Vespertilio,  47,  71 

naso,  Dysopes,  7 
nasutus,  Nyctinomus,  7,  8 
Dysopes,  7 

natalensis,  Molossus,  9 
New  York  bat,  16 
nitidus,  Vespertilio,  60 
noveboracensis,  Lasiurus,  15,  33 
Nycticejus,  15,  73 
Vespertilio,  15 
nocti  vagans,  Scotophilus,  39 

Vespertilio,  39,  73 
Nycticea  cynocephala,  7,  8,  74 
Nycticejus,  11 

Nycticejus  crepuscularis,  12,  74 
humeralis,  12 
lasiurus,  16 
noveboracensis,  15,  73 
pruinosns,  21 
varius,  16 
Nyctinomus,  5,  6 
Nyctinomus  brasiliensis,  7,  8 
mexicanus,  7 
murinus,  7 
nasutus,  7 
tenuis,  6 

pallidus,  Antrozous,  68 
pliaiops,  Vespertilio,  31,  47,  72.  75 
Phyllostomatidse,  2 
pipistrellus,  Scotophilus,  43 
Plecotus  lecontii,  63 

macrotis,  63,  73 
townsendii,  65 


pruinosus,  Lasiurus,  21 
Nycticejus,  21 
Scotophilus,  21 
Vespertilio,  21 

pulverulentus,  Vespertilio,  39 
Red  bat,  16 

Rhinopoma  carolinensis,  7,  8 
mierophylla,  8 
rubellus,  Vespertilio,  16 
rufus,  Lasiurus,  16 
Taphyzous,  16 
Vespertilio,  16 

salarii,  Vespertilio,  35,  37,  47,  78 
Scotophilus,  11,  27 
Scotophilus  alcytlioe,  44 
aristippe,  44 
carolinensis,  28 
discolor,  41,  75 
fuscus,  31 
georgianus,  35 
greenii,  31 
hesperus,  43 
noctivagans,  39 
pipistrellus,  43,  76 
pruinosus,  21 
serotinus,  32 

serotinus,  Scotophilus,  32  - 
subflavus,  Vespertilio,  46,  79 
subulatus,  Vespertilio,  13,  51,  77,  80 
Synotus,  62 
Synotus  lecontii,  63 
macrotis,  63 
townsendii,  65 

Taphyzous,  73 
Taphyzous  filet,  8 

rufus,  16 

tenuis,  Nyctinomus,  6 
tessalatus,  Vespertilio,  16,  71 
townsendii,  Plecotus,  65 
Synotus,  65 

ursinus,  Vespertilio,  31,  74 

varius,  Nycticejus,  16 
Vespertilio,  6,  46 
Vespertilio  affinis,  53 

arcuatus,  31 
auduboni,  39 
blossevillii,  16 
bonariensis,  16 
brevirostris,  55,  82 
calcaratus,  47,  72 
californicus,  47,  51,  81 
caroli,  31,  56,  76 
carolinensis,  28,  75 
cinereus,  21,  74 


INDEX. 


85 


Vespertilio  crassus,  35,  79 
creeks,  12,  78 
crepuscularis,  12 
cyanopterus,  47,  71 
daubentonii,  56,  77 
domesticus,  51 
emarginatus,  77 
erythrodactylus,  47,  76 
evotis,  48 
ferrugineus,  77 
fuscus,  31,  74 
georgianus,  79 
gryphus,  31,  72,  78 
humeralis,  47,  71 
lasiurus,  16 
leibii,  47,  80 
lucifugus,  55,  73 
megalotis,  47,  72 
melanotis,  47,  71 
inonachus,  16,  72 
montanus,  80 
monticola,  35,  47,  79 
mystacinus,  60 
mystax,  47,  71 


Vespertilio  nitidus,  60 

noctivagans,  39,  73 
noveboracensis,  15 
phaiops,  31,  47,  72,  75 
pulverulentus,  39,  75 
pruinosus,  21 
rubellus,  16 
rufus,  16 
salarii,  35,  47,  78 
subflavus,  46,  79 
subulatus,  13,  51,  77,  80 
tessalatus,  16,  71 
ursinus,  31,  74 
virginianus,  47,  80 
villosissimus,  16 
yumanensis,  58 
Vespertilionidse,  11 
Vesperugo,  27,  28 
Vesperus,  27,  28 
virginianus,  Vespertilio,  47 

waterhousii,  Macrotus,  2 

yumanensis,  Vespertilio,  58 


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